Damaged Goods
by Haitus80
Summary: After Carol spends six years in prison, her daughter is a stranger and despite her new found freedom, her life is dismal. Daryl Dixon is trying his best to live a quiet life and raise his sixteen year old cousin. When the boy comes home from a party, dragging an unconscious Sophia Peletier with him, Daryl's determined to help the girl. Even if that means dealing with her mother.
1. Chapter 1

**And the tradition carries on. Mark one complete and then post a new one, right? This has a slight Levee feel for those of you that have read that story. I've recycled a few OC's and brought them into this world. I hope you all enjoy it. I have 50 chapters written and about ten more to go before it's complete so regular updates can be expected unless my computer explodes. It sounds a little like a Harley so that is a possibility.**

 **Anyway, here we go again. =) Hope you enjoy this story as much as I enjoyed writing it and, as always, thank you so much for giving it a shot!**

 **Chapter One**

Daryl's eyes snapped open when he heard the front door slam shut. He groaned and rolled over, grabbing his pillow and pulling it over his head. Sure enough, less than a minute later he heard the television turn on and then his cabinet doors slam. Rolling back over he sat up and glared at the bedroom door, tossing the pillow off the side of the bed.

Fucking Saturdays.

He swung his legs around until his feet were planted on the floor and then he rubbed at his eyes with the heels of his hands. A quick glance at the alarm clock had him grimacing. It wasn't even eight in the morning yet. He grabbed a cigarette off the nightstand and lit it. He should have been able to sleep in. Every Friday night he went to bed thinking that he was going to get to stay there as long as he wanted and every damn Saturday morning he woke up to the same bullshit.

He grabbed the pants he'd been wearing the night before and put them on before he padded out of his room and down the hall. He found exactly what he knew he would find.

"Morning, dick face," his niece grinned. She was sitting on the floor in front of the couch with a bowl of cereal balanced on her knee and the remote in her hand.

He flipped her off on his way by. He found his younger cousin, Damon, leaning against the counter, his arms crossed over his chest and a sour look on his face. Daryl reached around him and hit start on the coffee maker. "The hell is wrong with you?" He asked around a yawn.

"Nothin'," Damon grumbled.

Daryl shook his head and sat down, running a hand through his hair. "You two are loud as fuck, you know that?"

Damon shook his head. "Don't blame me. I've been up for an hour. She's the one that comes over bein' all loud as fuck. And she ate all my goddamn cereal. She climbed her short ass right up on the counter and found my hiding spot."

Daryl looked up at the boy. He didn't look like a sixteen year old at the moment. He looked like an overgrown five year old. "Your bigger than her. Just tell her she can't have your damn cereal. How the fuck old are you anyway? Jesus."

Damon snorted. "I did tell her she couldn't have any. She's like a fucking demon. I can't stop her when she wants to do something."

Daryl snorted and shook his head. It was always something with these two. "I'll get you some more tonight. I guess next time you should hide it under your bed or somethin'."

Damon shook his head in disgust. "She's lucky she's kin. I'd throw her out on her ass." He grabbed the pot and poured two cups, handing Daryl one of them. "There's suppose to be a party out on Mill road tonight." He was hesitant and Daryl understood why.

Six years ago Damon's parents had been killed in a motorcycle accident. According to the paperwork, to everyone's surprise, Daryl was the one that was suppose to take care of their son. Between both life insurance policies, he was left with plenty enough to take care of the boy, even though he had tried to fight it.

He hadn't been cut out to try to play dad to some boy. But in the end, he had done what his aunt and uncle had hoped he would. He moved into the house, he made sure the bills were paid and he did what he could to try to guide the boy. Needless to say, he was winging it. But Damon was a good kid for the most part. He got into fights every now and then and sometimes he stayed out too late and more than once he'd come home drunk, but considering what he could have turned into after his parent's death, he considered himself pretty damn lucky. Damon was a lot easier to deal with than Piper. He had it easier than Merle did.

"Did you hear me?"

Daryl look up and then nodded. "Yeah, I heard you."

"So, me and Piper were gonna go," Damon hedged, sitting in the chair across from him.

Daryl shrugged. "Keep your damn eye on her."

Damon rolled his eyes at that and then took a drink. "You don't have to say that to me every time. I always keep an eye on her."

"Keep an eye on who?" Piper asked as she stepped into the kitchen and took her bowl to the sink.

"You," they said in unison.

She snorted. "I can take care of my damn self. I appreciate the concern though." She grinned.

"Does Merle know you're going?" Daryl asked, hoping that these two didn't expect him to keep their whereabouts a secret. They had done that shit to him before and he ended up getting an ear full from his old man just as bad as they got from Merle.

"He knows," Piper said, her face nothing but innocence.

He glared.

"I shit you not. Cross my heart. You can call him," she said, grimacing.

Daryl shrugged. "Maybe I will."

~H~

Carol shoved the letters under her mat and hurried out of her cell. She was late and she didn't have time to read either one of them. It would give her something else to look forward to anyway. There wasn't enough to look forward to in this place.

"You're late."

She looked up into the stoic face of the woman that ran the kitchen. She was tall with broad unfortunate features and a rough voice that seemed harsh even when she was in the best of moods. "Sorry, Gerta," she said quickly, donning an apron and going straight to her prep station.

Gerta gave her a hard look and then stormed off. Carol breathed out a sigh of relief. Some days the woman could be a huge pain in the ass, going on and on about the insubordination of the inmates that worked under her.

"She's just upset that her most loyal girl is leaving soon."

Carol looked over at another woman that was working at her counter, pealing a heaping pile of potatoes. Eliza Jones had only been there for a year but already she had made a name for herself. She wasn't one to be messed with. It was odd too because she wasn't big or tough looking. She was about Carol's size and just a few years younger than her. She had an easy smile and curly dark hair that she kept in a ponytail.

She had always been nice to Carol but that didn't mean the woman didn't know how to fight. Hell, even Carol knew how to fight after six years in this place. Carol had seen Eliza in action during lunch one day. Two other women approached her just a few days after she arrived and though no one could hear what was said, it was obvious the two thought they found some fresh meat to work over. That wasn't how it worked out though. The dark haired newbie had taken them both out.

"That's a sweet thought, Jones, but I think it's more her being pissed off that I'm late again," Carol said with a grin.

"Yeah, well, sometimes I like to create these fantasies in my head where certain people here aren't screaming tyrants for no reason."

"Less talking, more peeling, girls! Come on!" Gerta yelled, glaring at them over her shoulder.

Carol and Eliza chuckled quietly and finished up their work in comfortable silence. The work wasn't taxing but it kept their minds off of where they were for just a little while. That was nice. When it was over they took their own plates to the back of the kitchen and sat on turned over milk crates to eat their lunch. It was another perk to kitchen duty.

"Your daughter coming today?" Eliza asked after a few long minutes of more silence.

Carol nodded, picking at her food. "Yeah. I'm so ready to get the hell out of here and start our lives over."

"How is she doing? Any better?"

Carol shrugged, her appetite suddenly gone. "I got a letter from her and Andrea today but I haven't had a chance to read either one of them. She looked so different the last time she was here. She didn't talk much."

"Things will be better when you're finally out. Six years is a long time and even teenagers that haven't been through what your daughter has, have a tough time."

Carol smiled, thankful for the pep talk even though it didn't make her feel any better. There was nothing worse than knowing that your child was going through something and not being able to be there for her. It was the worst thing about being in this place.

She still had a little time before her scheduled visit so she hurried back to the cell and reached in for the letters. She sat there for a long time without opening either. Her hands were shaking and she took a deep breath before carefully opening the one from Sophia.

 _Mom,_

 _I wasn't there for the last few visits because of my community service. Now that that's over Andrea is making me come on Saturday. I'll see you then._

 _So I hear that you're down to less than two weeks if everything goes as planned. It will be weird having you around._ _Maybe we can get some flop of an apartment. I'll live anywhere if it means I'll get to get the hell away from Andrea and her constant bullshit._

 _Well, I guess I need to get to bed. See you soon._

 _Sophia._

Carol stared at the letter, tears blurring the words on the page. It was obvious that this was Andrea's doing. She had made the girl write the letter. It was cold. There was nothing of her daughter there in the letter. This was someone else. Someone she didn't even know.

The other letter didn't make her feel any better but at least it prepared her a little for what to expect with this visit.

 _Carol,_

 _I am so happy that this is almost over. The thought of seeing you in something other than orange scrubs is making me more excited than it should. I can't wait to visit on Saturday. Sophia is coming with me._

 _I hate this but I have to say it. She's gotten to the point where I just don't know what to do with her. I heard that raising a teenager is hard but, my God, the changes in her over the last year have been extreme. Nothing I say is right. Nothing I try to do is right. I don't say much because I know how hard it is for you. I know how badly you want to be a mother to her. And maybe that's what she needs. I just want you to remember that she's changed a lot in just the few months that you've seen her._

 _I'm not trying to upset you so I'm going to change the subject. In less than two weeks we're going to be there to pick you up and then we're going to find you a job and get you started on this new life. You've earned it. You paid your dues ten fold and it's time for your life to be on the mend._

 _I hope you get this letter before our visit and I hope you are still holding strong. Remember, this will pass. If you have managed to get through the last six years then you can get through the next few weeks._

 _Love,_

 _Andrea._

Carol folded the letters and put them under the mat before glancing at herself in the mirror. Her eyes were a little red but she would just have to deal with it. It was time to go see her daughter and her best friend.

She knew that what she did all those years ago was the right thing to do. If she hadn't done it then Ed would have hurt Sophia and she couldn't let that happen. He had been able to do whatever the hell he wanted to Carol but not her daughter. She was glad he was gone and she had no regrets for being the one to kill him. But she had lost so much that night.

She took a deep breath, readying herself for this last visit before she was able to walk out of these doors for good.


	2. Chapter 2

**Thanks for all the love so far. I've missed these OC's myself so it's good to hear that so many of you are excited to read about them. Thank you for giving the story a shot! It's much appreciated. Stay warm out there!**

 **Chapter Two**

Carol caught a glimpse of Andrea through the window and couldn't help but to smile despite her uneasy feelings about seeing her daughter. The fact that she felt uneasy seeing her in the first place had a lump forming in her throat. It shouldn't be like that.

When she walked into the room she was happy to see that it wasn't packed. There were a few families scattered here and there but Andrea had grabbed the table in the corner furthest away from everyone else. She smiled at her friend and then her eyes slid over to the girl in the chair. Her steps almost faltered and her smile grew brittle on her face.

Sophia was slumped in her chair, her arms crossed tightly over her chest. She was wearing a black hoodie over a black tank top that was cut much to low. An array of necklaces adorned her neck and she could make out a small hoop in the center of her bottom lip.

She looked like the poster child for teenage angst.

She took all of this in within a matter of seconds and she hoped that the look on her face hadn't changed. When she sat down at the table Andrea pushed a pile of junk food at her. She grinned. Sophia looked up, her eyes lined in black, and offered Carol a small smile.

"I got your letters right before coming down here," she said as she opened a can of Sprite that Andrea had handed her.

Andrea offered an uneasy smile. "So, everything is still set to play out smoothly. As of right now, you have ten more days. That's less than two weeks away. What do you want to do when we pick you up?"

"I'm gonna grab a soda," Sophia said quickly, standing up.

"Sophia, we just got here. You could have gotten one when-"

"It's okay," Carol said quickly, cutting Andrea off. She couldn't stop looking at Sophia's jeans. It looked as though someone had melted the girl and then poured her into them. They were full of holes and she was wearing a pair of black combat boots that came up to nearly her knees. She blinked and then followed the girl with her eyes until she made it to the vending machine.

"Carol, I'm sorry," Andrea muttered.

"Did you buy her those clothes?" Carol asked, raising a brow.

"Not exactly. She suddenly had a new wardrobe around the same time four hundred dollars came up missing from my purse," Andrea said, glancing up.

"She stole from you?" Carol whispered harshly.

Andrea shook her head. "This isn't the first time."

"It's going to be the last," Carol said, unable to hide her outrage. "After everything you've done for her? I can't..." She shook her head and looked away. "Andrea, I am so sorry."

"I'm worried about her, Carol. It isn't just the money or the fall in her grades or the skipping school. It isn't even her getting caught shoplifting. I think... I think she may be doing drugs."

Carol opened her mouth to say something but Sophia was suddenly there, sitting back down in the seat and taking a long drink of her Coke.

"Did I give you two enough time to talk about me?" She asked, her eyes sliding between the two women. "I could go to the bathroom or just go wait at the car if that would make it easier on you."

"Sophia, please," Carol said, forcing her voice to remain calm. Who the hell was this person?

Sophia sat the can down on the table, refusing to look at either of them now.

Andrea and Carol shared a look and Carol decided that no matter what, this visit wasn't going to be a catastrophe. "So, what do you have in mind? What are we doing when you guys pick me up?"

Andrea tried to smile but she kept casting nervous glances at Sophia. Finally she sighed and looked at Carol. "We definitely have to go out for dinner. And then we need to buy you some decent clothes. I'll put it on your tab," she winked.

Carol nodded and then tugged at her scrub top. "I was thinking something in a lighter shade than this. Or a darker shade than this. Actually anything but orange at all will be nice. How is school?" she asked, trying to meet Sophia's eyes but the girl didn't seem willing to look at her.

"Fine," she said with a shrug.

"She's brought a few grades back up," Andrea said quickly.

"That's good," Carol said, wishing that this visit didn't have to be so tense but wishing didn't help anything. They got through the strained conversations with Sophia giving very little input about anything at all. Andrea's words kept repeating in her mind. Drugs? Not Sophia. Surely that wasn't something her daughter would ever do.

When it was time for them to go Carol stood up when Sophia did, grabbing her and hugging her tightly before the girl could escape. Reluctantly she felt her thaw out and finally hug her back and that small gesture gave Carol more hope than she could have ever asked for.

Somewhere under the standoffish attitude and black clothing, her little girl was still there.

~H~

Damon wasn't sure about sticking around after they made it to the party. He had to drag Piper away from two fights and there weren't many people there that they actually knew.

"This is fucking lame," Piper muttered as she pushed her way through a small crowd of party goers.

"Yeah. I was expecting something a lot better than this," Damon said, his eyes taking in the scene in front of them. There was a fire burning right outside the old barn and there were lights inside but he wasn't sure if they should even go in. They had heard about the party second hand and they were basically crashing it.

Piper sighed and nodded towards the barn. "Let's at least check it out and if we don't see anyone we actually like, we'll just go back to your place. How lame are we, anyway?"

"We ain't lame. We're selective. You really wanna be a part of this fuckin' crowd?" There was loud techno music blaring from somewhere inside and it was starting to give him a headache. Most of the people here were preps and jocks.

Piper shook her head and scowled, looking a lot like Merle at the moment. "Hell no, but you know, if you wanted, you could be. Since we started high school they've been on your ass about joining the football team."

He snorted. "Yeah, and you're the perfect size to climb to the top of a pyramid of cheerleaders too."

She made a face and he laughed. "Fair enough. Let's just face it. We're Dixons. To be anything on top of that would screw up the balance of the universe."

He nodded. "Agreed."

They made their way to one of the kegs, keeping their eyes on the crowd. "Which one of us is getting drunk?" She asked.

He shook his head. "Go for it. I don't wanna drink around this crowd."

She filled up a cup and then they both looked for a place to sit down. He was just about ready to say fuck it and go back home when he noticed a guy he knew, and despised, sitting on a bale of hay across the wide isle from them. The guy, Ron, grabbed the hand of a girl walking by, pulling her down onto his lap. She looked like she was trying to get away from him but then he reached into his pocket and held out his hand to the girl. She stopped fighting, studying whatever the hell Ron had in his hand. She looked undecided for a brief moment and then he whispered something into her ear and finally she took whatever it was, chasing it with a few large gulps of beer.

"What?" Piper asked, following his gaze.

Damon shook his head, ignoring the uneasy feeling that the scene gave him. He didn't know this girl and it was pretty fucking obvious that she was strung out on something. It wasn't his problem though. He'd just watched her take whatever Ron had offered willingly so if she found herself in a bind later, that was her own stupid fault.

"Dude, I still can't believe she turned into that," Piper said, shaking her head in disgust.

"The girl?" Damon asked, his eyes lingering on the two. The girl slid off Ron's lap but stayed next to him. Ron's arm went around her as her head dipped and fell into her hands. She swayed slightly.

"That's Sophia Peletier. Last year we partnered up with her for that bio lab we had to do. We worked with her for like two weeks."

Damon felt his eyes widen. He remembered Sophia. She had been quiet and super fucking shy. She never really said much but Damon remembered thinking that she was pretty cool. She was cool because she didn't seem to try to go out of her way to make people like her. She was her own person and had no fucks to give. The black clad doped up girl across from them was nothing like the girl he had met. "What the fuck happened to her?"

Piper shrugged. "Maybe she got tired of being invisible."

"She wasn't," he muttered.

"Dude, after that lab was done neither one of us bothered even saying hi to her in the hallway."

Damon glanced down at Piper. "That was pretty shitty, man. Why the hell do we do that?"

Piper shrugged. "I don't know. It ain't like we meant to. And I'm doubting that us not talking to her caused her to end up like that. But I remember she didn't have many friends or anything back then."

Damon looked back up just in time to see Ron leading her towards the back of the barn where the shadows were heavier. The guy was practically dragging her but she clung to his neck, maybe just to stay upright. He shook his head looked away again. "Let's get the fuck outta here."

Piper was watching Ron lead Sophia away and nodded but Damon could tell that she was uneasy about leaving. "Right. Let's go."

They took off towards the open doors, weaving through the throngs of people. He felt a little sick to his stomach and Piper had dumped out most of her first cup of beer. This had been a complete waste of gas money and time.

"Damon?" There was uncertainty in Piper's normally self assured voice.

He looked down at her and nodded, turning around and then storming towards the back of the barn. If he just let something like that happen then he was just as bad as that dumb son of a bitch, Ron. Shit like that made him sick. Maybe the girl was a full blown idiot but she didn't deserve what she was about to get.

They found them in the tack room, on the floor. Damon didn't try to make his presence a secret either. Ron had the girl on the floor and, thankfully, he hadn't managed to do much just yet. He was just working her shirt up when Damon grabbed him by the back of the neck and hauled him up.

Ron cried out in surprise and Piper quickly knelt down beside the girl, pushing her shirt back down. Sophia shook her head slowly but her eyes were closed and she seemed completely out of it.

"What the fuck are you doing, Dixon?" Ron yelled when Damon tossed him into the corner. He was on his feet quickly.

"Interrupting a date rape you sick asshole," Piper snapped. She tried, unsuccessfully to pull Sophia up to a sitting position.

"Whatever," Ron barked. "She was asking for it!"

Damon hit him. He hadn't been planning on hitting him but it was just one of those things that happened without him thinking much about it. The hit caught Ron right in the center of his face and blood sprayed everywhere but Damon didn't even give him a second glance. He turned, seeing Piper still struggling with Sophia. The girl was skinny but she was taller than Piper and at the moment she was all dead weight.

"What the hell are we gonna do with her?" Sophia asked.

Damon pulled Sophia up from the floor easily and Piper moved to her other side. Ron was still rolling around on the floor, his hands covering his face as he made pathetic sounds. "We take her to Daryl. He's gonna be pissed but he'll know what to do."

Piper scowled down at Ron and then hauled off and kicked him between the legs as hard as she could. Damon winced. "Extra dose of cock block you dumb fucker," she spat as they led the semi conscious girl out of the barn.


	3. Chapter 3

**Hope you all had a great weekend! Thanks for reading.**

 **Chapter Three**

Daryl grabbed another slice of pizza and then closed the box, stuffing half of it into his mouth and glancing up at the clock. Damon wasn't due back for hours so he propped his feet up on the coffee table and pushed play. He could have gone to the bar with his dad and brother but he didn't feel like listening to Merle and he wasn't in the mood to be around Buck either.

He didn't mind having Piper and Damon around but he would be a liar if he tried to say that he didn't enjoy time alone. He'd spent most of his life being a loner. Up until six years ago anyway. He frowned when he heard Damon's car pull up in the driveway. Maybe the party had sucked. He listened as two doors slammed and then frowned and paused the movie when he heard a third.

He waited, scowling at the door. Both of those damn kids knew that he didn't want a goddamn house full of people. When it finally opened he jumped up off the couch. Damon was practically carrying some girl that was obviously passed out.

"What the fuck are you two doin'?" He barked.

Damon looked up, his dark eyes frantic. "She took somethin' at that party. Whatever it was didn't seem to mix with the alcohol well. Piper couldn't wake her up."

Daryl felt his jaw clench. "Bathroom," he snapped.

Damon finally gave up and picked the girl up, tossing her limp form over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes.

"What the fuck did she take?" Daryl asked once Damon had her upright again.

Damon shook his head and Daryl cursed. He didn't say a word though. He forced the girls mouth open and shoved two fingers down her throat until her body heaved. Damon looked horrified but he didn't say a word. Daryl gagged the girl again, relentlessly. Damon let her go to her knees and held her up while Daryl pulled her hair back.

Once she started vomiting there seemed to be no end. He didn't know if he had managed to get the drugs up in time but losing all that alcohol in her system had to have helped a little anyway. He hated to but he looked into the bowl and was glad to see about five partially dissolved pills. She wasn't finished though. The pained sounds the kid was making had him wincing.

"Goddamn, how much did she drink I wonder?" Piper asked as she leaned in and flushed the toilet.

The girl's head drooped forward but Damon pulled her back before she could drown. Daryl felt sick to his stomach and not because of the vomit either. He remembered a time when Merle had been forced to do this for him and it made him sick to know that he had gotten to that point and it made him even sicker to see some kid in the same shape.

"Who the fuck is she?" Daryl asked as he slapped her lightly, trying to get her to open her eyes.

"She's just some kid from school. We don't really know her but we saw her eat some pills and then some douche dragged her to a room to get his rocks off. Damon broke his face and I kicked his nuts up into his throat."

Daryl shook his head, unable to keep the disgust off his face. "You get to her in time?"

Damon nodded, watching as Daryl took a wash cloth and cleaned her face up. He put his fingers to the artery at her neck. Her pulse was fast but strong. He shook his head. "I think she's gonna be alright."

Damon nodded but still looked nervous. Daryl understood it because Daryl had seen his fair share of ugliness. Piper was in the corner, watching with wide eyes.

"Take her to the spare room and lay her down. You two can help keep watch over her."

You think we should call an ambulance or something?" Piper asked, not sounding half as sure of herself as she usually did.

Daryl remembered the times this had happened to him. Waking up in rehab somewhere, not knowing anyone, getting poked and prodded and badgered all the time. It never helped him. He'd keep a watch over the kid and if she seemed to be getting worse, then he would call. Until then he could handle it his damn self. That's what Merle had always done. Well, it's what Merle had done for a while anyway.

Damon carried her to the spare room and Piper was quick to turn the covers down. She looked troubled. It wasn't a look he was used to seeing on his niece's face.

"How old is this girl anyway?" Daryl asked.

Piper shrugged. "Same age as us I guess."

Daryl shook his head. "Goddamn shame. What's her name. Surely you know that much?" He asked as Damon covered her up.

"Sophia Peletier," Damon said, running a nervous hand through his hair.

Daryl frowned. He knew that name. He knew the last name anyway. "Peletier?"

Damon nodded. "Yeah. You know her?"

Daryl shook his head. He didn't know her but he knew of her family. If he didn't feel bad for the girl before he sure as fuck felt bad for her now. They lived in a small town and things like that stuck with a person, especially since it happened shortly after June and Odin had been killed so he had been sober himself by then.

He knew that a man named Ed had came home after a night out drinking and beat the hell out of his wife, not for the first time. Once he was finished with the woman he had gone after his ten year old daughter. He hadn't made it though. The wife stabbed him. She hadn't just stabbed him once either. She opened hells gates on that bastard.

It should have been a clear cut case of self defense but the woman hadn't been very lucky. Ed Peletier had been a Sheriffs deputy and the way the case was handled was pretty fucked up. The woman went to prison and the girl went to a friend of the family. Hell she was lucky she hadn't landed in Foster care.

"You alright?" Damon asked suddenly.

Daryl looked up quickly and realized that both kids were staring at him. He unclenched his fist and forced himself to relax. "I'm fine," he said as he sat down heavily in the rocker that sat in the corner of the room. "Why don't you two go get some pizza. I'll stay in here and keep an eye on her."

"You sure? We didn't bring her here so you would have to-"

"You did the right thing, Damon," he said in a low voice.

~H~

Sophia groaned as she finally pulled herself from sleep. Her stomach swirled and her head throbbed with every beat of her heart. Her mouth tasted disgusting and her whole body seemed to hurt. She didn't want to open her eyes. She knew that any kind of light would make her head hurt even worse. And she was afraid. She didn't know where she was. She remembered being at the party and drinking but she didn't remember a whole lot after that.

"I know you're awake. Might as well open your damn eyes and face the day, kid." A rough voice that she had never heard before had her eyes snapping open. She sat up, ignoring her headache and scurrying as far away from the man standing next to the bed as she could.

"Who the hell are you?" She winced at the weak quality of her voice.

He sat down in a chair next to the bed. "You don't remember a damn thing, do you?" His eyebrows shot up.

She felt like throwing up. She shook her head slowly. What had she done? This wasn't anyone that she had ever met before. This was a grown man and she was in his bed. She looked down to make sure her clothes were still on.

"You gonna puke?" He asked, his voice softer now.

She felt tears flood her eyes and she nodded.

He stood up and pointed to the open door. "Second door on your right."

She bolted from the bed, covering her mouth and nearly falling into the wall. Her legs were weak. Her whole body was weak but she managed to get to the bathroom in time. There didn't seem to be anything in her stomach but still her body tried to purge itself. Who was the man and why was she in his bed? What had he done to her? Or, a better question, what had she let him do while she was out of her mind?

"Hey, chick? You gonna live or what?" A girl's voice sounded on the other side of the door.

She didn't really recognize the voice but she felt a little comforted that there was another female here. Unless he was just _that_ type of guy. She cringed and waited for her stomach to heave again but she seemed to be over it. She pulled herself up off the floor and rinsed her mouth out over and over with water. There were small paper cups stacked on the counter and she grabbed one, nearly filled it to the brim with mouthwash and then rinsed her mouth again some more.

She ran cold water over her face and then finally looked at her reflection. The person staring back at her looked like someone she had never met. Her eyes were bloodshot and her hair was hanging in limp clumps. She was pale and too thin. She splashed more cold water over her face, washing tears away. She needed to get herself under control and get home to Andrea's. The woman had probably already called the cops and reported her missing.

She finally grabbed a hand towel, drying her face off and then pulled the door open. She was surprised when she saw three people standing there. Two were familiar and the other was the man. They all looked at her expectantly. "I need to go," she said in a low voice, stepping around them all. She didn't even glance back after she checked to make sure her phone was in her pocket. When she stepped out the front door she stopped in her tracks.

She glanced around and almost started crying again. She had no idea where she was. She was somewhere out in the sticks and she didn't even know what road the long driveway would end up leading her to.

"Need a ride?"

She looked up. She remembered the boy now. She knew his name and she knew they went to school together. "Damon, right?"

He nodded and watched her closely, his dark eyes showing no emotion what so ever.

Sophia glanced back at the door. "Please tell me that I didn't do anything stupid," she said in a voice that was barely above a whisper.

"You got so fucked up that you didn't know your name at that party. Me and Piper brought you here and my cousin kept you from dying. That's about it. Next time you just might wanna watch how much you take. Or maybe who you get fucked up with."

She shook her head and then sat down on the top step, dropping her head into her hands. He sat down next to her, not close enough to touch her but close enough that she could feel the warmth of his body.

"So, what the hell happened to you? I remember you from last year. This ain't you."

She stayed silent. She didn't have an answer for him. She had been asking herself the same thing for a while now.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter Four**

Damon slammed his locker, cursing under his breath. The day was dragging by and he was ready to get the hell out of there. Unfortunately for him, it was only lunch time. He headed to the cafeteria, not watching where he was going. Of course he ran right into someone.

"Watch it, dumb ass!" The guy snapped as he turned around.

Damon raised a brow and the guy grinned. They were friends so Damon let the barb go. "Fuck off, Tyler."

Tyler fell in step with him. "I'm so ready for this shit to be over. Why the hell do they choose the last day of school to be in the middle of the week? This shit should have been over with Friday," Tyler muttered as they stepped into the large lunch room. Usually they grabbed their food and went outside but it was raining today and they were stuck indoors.

"One more day," he said, grabbing a tray of food that he didn't even feel like eating.

"Yeah, I guess it could be worse. You gotta take any summer classes?" Tyler asked as they glanced around.

Damon spotted Piper's ultra red head and started weaving through the tables. "Nah. Lowest grade I got for the whole year was a C."

Tyler snorted and slammed his tray down next to Piper's and sat down heavily. "Nerd."

Damon sat down across from the two of them, next to a girl that he didn't know and shrugged. "Daryl does this annoying ass growling thing when I don't keep up with shit. I'd rather not deal with his ass."

Tyler nodded. "What about you," he asked Piper.

Piper shrugged. "D's are passing."

They all laughed but Damon's died when he looked up and noticed Sophia Peletier walking by. She glanced down and nodded in greeting.

"Hey," he muttered. She walked on past, not bothering to say a word. That was how it had been since the day he dropped her off at her place last week. She didn't try to hang out with them. Didn't make it a point to even look in their direction. If she happened by she would nod or wave or offer some fake ass smile and then just keep going.

"Put your eyes back in your skull, Dixon. You don't have what that piece is after, Dude," Tyler said with grin.

Damon felt himself tense and he looked up, meeting Tyler's eyes. "What the hell is that suppose to mean?" He didn't know why he felt his hackles going up. Him and Tyler had been friends for a long time. He was even pretty sure that Tyler and Piper had something going on, but he didn't feel too friendly towards him at the moment.

Piper muttered under her breath and shook her head but Damon didn't hear what she said.

Tyler just shrugged. "I heard some shit about that one. That barn party last weekend she apparently let Ron nail her for some pills. From what I heard, he wasn't the only one. If you got the goods then she'll let you put it anywhere. That's the rumor."

"Uh oh," Piper muttered, wide green eyes flicking from Damon to Tyler.

"Who the fuck told you that?" Damon barked, causing Tyler to jump.

"Hell, man, I don't know. That's about all Ron and the rest of those dumb asses were talking about last weekend."

Damon's eyes scanned the room and when his gaze finally settled on Ron and his buddies he couldn't believe what he was seeing. Sophia was sitting right there with the rest of them, head close to some girl's as they talked about something.

Why in the hell would that idiot girl be right over there with those assholes when he had told her what Ron had tried when he had taken her home last week?

Piper was talking before he could even get out of his seat. "It's not your fuckin' problem, Damon. You told her what went down and if she's too fucking stupid or too strung out to give a damn then fuck her. You get in trouble over that girl and I swear I'll beat the shit out of her."

Damon sat back down, knowing that Piper meant what she said. He still felt like he should do something. It didn't make any sense either because it seemed like Piper was right. The girl didn't give a goddamn what people said about her and she didn't give a shit about herself enough to not associate with the very people that were spreading lies about her.

"What's goin' on?" Tyler asked, looking from Damon back to Piper.

Damon shook his head angrily and pushed his tray away. "That ain't what happened that night. Ron got her all fucked up and then took her to the back. Me and Piper went back there and she wasn't even with it enough to know where she was and that clown was about to screw her anyway. You didn't wonder what the fuck happened to his face? We took her with us and the next day I took her home. She didn't sleep with anybody."

Tyler leaned around so he could look past Damon. "No shit? You shoulda told her, dude. Don't seem like she knows what the guy tried to do."

Damon shook his head but didn't say a word. She had a bad enough reputation. He wasn't going to let it slip that her would be rapist was still someone that she hung out with at school. It was damn obvious that whatever her demons were, they went a lot deeper than he thought.

~H~

Carol walked out the gate in street clothes. It was strange. Extremely strange. She had been behind bars for six years and in those six years she had grudgingly found her place inside the system. She knew that place. As hard as it was in there, away from her daughter and everything she had ever known, it had still become home to her. Her world had shrank and now, looking at the wide parking lot, she felt extremely exposed. It felt like there was too much open space around her. The sky felt too big.

She took a deep breath and blew it out slowly but nearly jumped out of her skin when she heard a horn blow. She looked up sharply and saw Andrea pulling up. The woman was grinning and barely had the car in park before she jumped out. She hugged her tightly when she finally made it to her, an easy grin on her face.

Carol glanced towards the car. "How was the drive?" She asked.

Andrea took her bag and then grabbed her hand, pulling her towards the car and tossing it into the back. "It was fine," she said as she sat down in the driver's seat.

Carol nodded and watched as the prison grew smaller and smaller in the side mirror. "Are we picking Sophia up from school?"

Andrea shook her head, her smile dimming. "She's riding with a friend today. I told her that she could miss today so she could drive out with me but she didn't want to miss the day before the last day of school I guess."

"She hates me," Carol said, her voice firm but her throat tightening.

Andrea shook her head. "That's not true. She's going through a phase, Carol. She's still Sophia. Somewhere in there, she's the same girl."

Carol sighed. "I'm a stranger. When I came here she was a little girl. A confused and terrified little girl. I wasn't around for anything. She's sixteen years old and I don't know anything about her. I don't know what the hell I'm doing."

Andrea sighed. "I don't either. After we came out here last weekend she took off as soon as we got back home. She just changed clothes and then left without saying a word. I didn't see her until the next day. I called the police and everything. She got dropped off by some guy in a muscle car and she looked bad but she wouldn't tell me where she had been or what had happened to her."

Carol let the side of her head rest against the warm glass. "How can I fix six years worth of trauma? How do I start over with her?"

"The same way I've spent the last six years trying to raise her. I had no idea what the hell I was doing, and it shows. You're gonna do fine. As soon as she gets out of this... funk that she's in."

Carol nodded and then turned the radio up and rolled the window down. The wind felt good and the classic rock station had her smiling despite herself. She was sure Andrea was right. She would be able to get through to her daughter somehow. It wasn't too late.

She hoped anyway.

~H~

Sophia shoved the few items she had left in her locker into her bag before she slammed the metal door shut. When she did she gasped in surprise when she looked over and there was a large and obviously angry boy standing right there, glaring down at her.

"Hi," she muttered, trying to step around him but he stepped right into her path.

"Why the hell are you still hangin' around those assholes after I told you what he tried to do to you?" Damon snapped.

She felt her face flame. "What's your problem? It was nothing. Everyone had too much to drink and things got out of hand. No harm no fowl." She wasn't about to tell him that that was the only group that would have anything to do with her and facing school alone would have been more painful than dealing with a couple of assholes.

"Really? Cause I just heard at lunch that you fucked the whole lot of them for drugs."

Her mouth fell open, "I've never slept with anybody! Who told you that?"

Damon studied her eyes for a long time before he gestured behind her. She turned and saw Ron and a few of the other guys walking towards them.

"Ron didn't say that," she said lamely.

Damon made a disgusted sound in the back of his throat before he gave her one last hard look and then walked away. She felt sick to her stomach again. Was that why everyone was whispering about her lately? It was always something. This news really didn't surprise her but it was embarrassing. All this time everyone at school had seen her hanging out with the very crowd that was spreading these awful lies about her to begin with.

Ron had always been nice to her so she really did think that Damon had blown the incident at the party out of proportion. Ron had been pretty wasted that night too. But now he was telling people that she had done things with him for drugs? And not just him but his other friends too?

When Ron walked by he draped his arm over her shoulder but she stepped away from him and glared. "What's your problem?" He asked, a slow smile spreading over his face.

She raised her chin. "Did you tell people that I screwed you guys for drugs at that party?"

He laughed, his eyes going to the crowd around them. "You gonna deny it?" He cocked an eyebrow at her, the grin still in place.

"You know that I didn't do that," she said, her voice low. She was almost desperate to hear him say it himself.

He shrugged. "I'm not the only one you fucked for a free buzz, Sophia. And everybody knows it."

She shook her head but what could she say? He was telling people lies about her. It wasn't like she had a very good reputation anyway. Sure, she did pills here and there and she drank at parties but it wasn't like she... She stopped walking, letting the crowd pass her, letting their mocking laughter fill her ears.

She had stolen money from Andrea to buy drugs. She did them every single day. When she didn't things just became too much. It was like her thoughts were too loud and she needed something, anything to drown them out. When she wasn't high she couldn't stand the thoughts that ran over and over through her head.

She had some at home. Hidden in a lock box under her bed. She had pain killers that she had bought off of... Ron, a few days ago.

She finally put herself together enough to walk out of the school. She realized then that Ron was her ride but it seemed as though he was already gone. The door slid shut behind her and she felt her eyes fill with tears as she watched the rain pouring in the parking lot.

She leaned her back against the bricks. She could call Andrea and ask her if she would mind swinging by and picking her up once she got back into town but she couldn't do that. She didn't spare a few words a day to the woman. How could she have her do her a favor now?

And her mother would be with her. She felt fresh tears sting her eyes at the thought. How many years had she spent praying that her mom would get out and they could start their lives over? Now there didn't seem to be any way for that to happen. She had kept herself numb for the past six months. She had done awful things to Andrea. There wasn't any starting over for her.

She looked over sharply when the door opened up and she was torn from her self loathing thoughts. Of all the people in the world to see her standing there like an idiot, it had to be Damon Dixon. He was grumbling angrily under his breath and she could have sworn that she heard him say something about a coach. He nearly stalked right past her but must have seen her from the corner of his eye because he glanced up.

He stopped in his tracks then and looked around. "Your ride leave you or somethin'?" he asked, looking less annoyed.

She shrugged slightly. "I don't guess I have one. You were right."

His eyes grew guarded. "About?"

"Ron and those assholes," she said, unable to keep the bitterness from her tone. She didn't know why but for some reason she needed this boy to know that she had never gotten low enough to actually sleep with anyone for drugs. She just didn't know how to say it and she didn't think he would believe her anyway.

He glanced out at the downpour and then back at her. "You need a lift home?"

She didn't know why he was being so nice to her. For all he knew she was just some strung out slut that would let a guy do whatever they wanted to her for a high. Then again, maybe that was why he offered. With a weary sigh she nodded. It didn't matter why he was being nice to her. She needed a ride and he was offering her one.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter Five**

Damon pulled away from the school, making sure he turned down the stereo before she realized that he was a closet Bob Seger fan. It wasn't like she'd understand that when you hung out with people like the older Dixon men, things like that kind of grew on a boy. Before he pulled out he rummaged through the stack of CD's in the glove box and pulled out something newer. Of course it was probably something that she never heard of but he had a reputation to uphold around here too.

"Tool?" She asked once the first song started and he backed out of the spot.

He looked at her and grinned. "I'm impressed."

"I have this at home," she said, her voice quiet and so fucking forlorn that the smile dropped from his face.

"Hey, man. You can't let those guys get to you. Some people are born assholes and just grow bigger."

She almost smiled. "Did you almost just quote Roadhouse to me?"

He snorted. "You wasn't suppose to catch that."

"I know they're assholes," she said, her eyes trained on the rain washed streets ahead. She was quiet for a while and then finally looked at him when he stopped at a light. "So, your dad seems like a pretty nice guy."

He felt his inside twist a little. "My dad's dead," he said, his tone matter of fact. "The man you met is my cousin, Daryl."

She glanced over, meeting his eyes and then he had to focus back on the street when the light turned green. "I'm sorry."

He shrugged.

"My dad's dead too."

He glanced at her. "Rough break, huh?"

From the corner of his eye he saw her shake her head. "Not really. He was trying to hurt me so my mom killed him."

He looked over sharply before turning into her driveway. "Goddamn."

She smiled but there was no warmth in it. "I think people know but I don't think I've ever told anyone that."

"I won't say anything to anybody about it," he said, keeping his eyes trained on her. "We go to school with a bunch of fucking hyenas. They'll use any damn thing they can to cut somebody down. Trust me, I know."

She didn't make a move to get out of the car. "I've never done anything like what those guys say I did. Maybe I do things I shouldn't do, but I've never done that. I don't want you to think I would-"

"I don't," he said, cutting her off.

She finally looked at him again. "Why are you so nice to me? I know it isn't because you're a nice guy. We've gone to the same school for a long time and I know enough about you to know that. Why me?" She asked. It looked like it had taken a lot for her just to ask that question so he tried to come up with a real answer.

Finally he just shook his head. "I guess I don't know. Maybe cause it's pretty fuckin' obvious that you ain't got a whole lot of people pulling for you. The world, people, it's all cold enough even on a good day. As bad as shit has gotten for me, I've always had somebody pulling for me. I ain't never been alone in the chaos."

She held his gaze. "I better get inside."

He nodded. "I'll see you tomorrow."

The smile she offered him was a sad one and then she stepped out, disappearing in the downpour as he pulled out of her driveway.

~H~

Carol and Andrea sprinted through the rain from the car to the house. They were both laughing when they reached the porch. She felt better. There was something cleansing about the rain. Almost like it was a sign. She had a clean slate and now she could finally build her life back up. So what if it had taken her a while to get to where she was. The point was, she was here now and so many opportunities were at her fingertips. She had to look at it that way. If she didn't, then the thought of the future would crush her.

"Sophia!" Andrea yelled as soon as the door was shut behind them.

Carol felt her pulse quicken. This was it. This was the very moment that things had to start changing in their lives for the better.

Andrea sighed when they were met with silence. She glanced up at Carol and then nodded towards the hallway. "Headphones. This is the norm."

Carol felt her heart sink a little. Maybe it was the norm but she had just been released from prison for God's sake. Couldn't Sophia have at least been waiting for her when she got there? She shook the thought as soon as it entered her mind. Why should the girl feel like Carol's release was a big deal? It wasn't like she had been there for her. She felt that overwhelming sadness grip her. The one that usually crept up on her at night when she was trying to force herself to sleep if for no other reason than to kill time.

"I'll be right back," Andrea said, heading towards the hallway.

Carol stopped her with a hand on her shoulder. "No time like the present, right? Let me go talk to her."

Andrea glanced at her and then back down the hall and then finally nodded. "Okay, I'm gonna go find you something else to wear tonight. We're going out."

Carol nodded since Andrea's tone left no room for argument. She paused outside the door that led to her daughter's bedroom and knocked softly. There was no answer but if she was listening to music then maybe she didn't hear her. Now she wasn't sure what to do. If she just walked in then maybe Sophia would think that she was already here to invade her space and insert herself into her life whether she liked it or not. That was actually the case, but she wanted to ease into it.

On the other hand, if she didn't let her know that they were back and she was home for good, Sophia may think that she didn't care enough to even tell her as soon as she got here. Why did this have to be so hard already? She took a deep breath and then opened the door just enough to put her head inside.

Sophia was lying sideways across the bed, her hands folded over her stomach, which was exposed in a shirt that was much too short for Carol's taste. Her eyes were closed and her chest rose and fell evenly like she was asleep.

"Sophia?" Carol said in a hushed voice as she stepped further into the room. The girl didn't move and Carol took a few moments to take in her surroundings. There were posters of heavy metal bands adorning the walls. Drawings of evil looking creatures tacked to a large cork board above the desk. There were clothes strewn all over the room and everything looked chaotic and messy. She sighed.

"What are you doing?"

Carol's eyes snapped back to the bed where Sophia was now leaned up on her elbows, watching her suspiciously. "I knocked and you didn't say anything so I..."

Sophia sat up, pushing her long hair out of her face and then stood. "I must have fallen asleep," she muttered.

"It happens," Carol said with a sad smile. She met her daughter's eyes and then the smile died. They were glassy and a little blood shot.

"Yeah. It happens," Sophia said, still not meeting Carol's eyes.

They stood there, the tension thick in the air before Carol finally thought of something else to say. Her throat felt dry and she almost wanted to wring her hands. "So, we're going out tonight for dinner. Is there anywhere in particular that you would like to go?"

Sophia bit her lip. "There's this new burger place outside of town. Seems like a cool spot and I heard the food is good."

Carol nodded, unable to believe that the girl had suggested anything at all. "Anything sounds better than what I'm used to."

Sophia seemed eager to get Carol out of her room and she didn't really take offense to it. This was her space and it was normal for a teenage girl to not want her mom invading it. They went to the kitchen and Sophia showed her where everything was. She got to work making a pot of coffee while Sophia sat at the table, picking at a loose thread on her hoodie sleeve.

"How was school?" Andrea asked as she breezed into the kitchen and dumped a pile of clothes into Carol's lap.

Sophia shrugged. "As bad as any other day at school. Why?"

Andrea glanced over her shoulder. "One more day."

"Yay," Sophia muttered, rolling her eyes.

Carol watched as Sophia drew patterns into the top of the table with the tip of her finger. Her eyes had a faraway look in them and the corner of her mouth was turned up in a dreamy half smile. Maybe she had that look on her face because deep down she was actually kind of happy that she had her mother back. But Carol knew she was lying to herself. There was something dangerously wrong with her daughter and she had no idea how to get to the bottom of it.

"Maybe after school tomorrow you and I can go job hunting. You're old enough to work now and it would be good for you to have your own money," she said, watching Sophia carefully.

Sophia glanced up. "You guys should just let me stay home tomorrow. It's gonna be your first full day back so maybe we can get started on that earlier."

Carol and Andrea shared a look. "We'll see," Carol said quietly.


	6. Chapter 6

**Hello! Hope everyone had a decent weekend. Mine was busy so I didn't get a lot of writing done. I got a guest review for last chapter asking why I didn't post all 50 chapters of this since they are written. My answer to that is, I think that a lot of my readers would get a little overwhelmed if they woke up to 50 updates for one story, and posting like this gives me a chance to change anything if I need to, to make the story better. Some people have suggestions that I really like and I enjoy being able to have the flexibility to use the ones that would make the story that much more interesting. Hopefully you enjoy this chapter. Thanks for reading!**

 **Chapter Six**

"I'm fuckin' starved," Piper wailed as she collapsed onto the sofa.

Daryl sighed and kicked off his work boots. "Then go home and eat. I know Merle feeds you."

"Him and Buck are being dicks. I wanna go to that new place and they're talkin' about a home cooked meal. You know between the two of them that means I'll be eating hot dogs. They can't cook. They're just a couple of jerks that want me to go hungry."

"You tryin' to give me a hint or somethin'?" He asked just as the front door opened up and Damon walked in. He really wasn't in the mood to go anywhere but he wasn't in the mood to cook either.

Piper sighed heavily. "I passed another year. It's a celebratory moment. I deserve to be entertained, pampered even!"

Damon laughed and shook rain water out of his hair. "You passed with D's."

Piper threw her hands in the air and stood up. "I still passed."

Daryl sighed and swiped his hand over his face.

"That's the sound of a man giving in," Piper quipped.

"That's the sound of a man that wishes his niece wasn't a spoiled brat," Daryl said as he stood back up and headed to the shower. Forty five minutes later they were pulling up at the doors to the new place that Piper wanted to try. He really didn't mind very much but he couldn't let the girl know that. When they went inside, however, he groaned.

"Looks like the whole fucking school is here," Damon said, elbowing Piper.

"No shit."

"You two are lucky I'm starvin' or we'd be out of this place," Daryl growled as a girl approached them. Of course she had them sit in the middle of the damn room where the talking and laughter of everyone else was the loudest. He ordered a beer, glanced around, and then ordered a pitcher. It was going to be one of those nights. He fucking hated crowded places and these two knew it.

He chugged half a glass when the girl brought it out and then they all ordered. Several kids stopped by the table, making idle chat with Piper and Damon but Daryl tuned them out, his eyes scanning the large open space. The lights were slightly dim but he could still make out faces clearly. He was surprised when he saw a familiar one.

The girl that Damon had brought home the weekend before was there a few tables away. She was moving the food around on her plate, staring off at nothing. Even from this distance Daryl could tell that the girl was high. He felt a small flash of anger and then he looked away. He remembered how scared the girl had looked when she had woken up that morning. He had seen the uncertainty in her eyes when she realized she wasn't alone in the room.

He knew that for a moment she had believed that she had slept with him. He scowled at the thought. He couldn't even ask why would she do that to herself. He couldn't be one of those people that got to sit back and shake his head at her in disgust. He had been there too. Self medicating to keep the pain at bay. Not caring what he put in his system, as long as he didn't have to think about things that seemed to eat at his soul. Thoughts that caused physical pain just as much as emotional, tearing open those old scars, scraping against the raw flesh. And he had dulled that pain with anything he could. He looked back, watching her, his heart feeling heavy for the kid, even though he didn't know her.

As though she could feel his eyes on her she looked up suddenly, focusing on him and then looking away almost shamefully.

He looked away himself and then suddenly his food was set in front of him. He started picking at his fries absently. When he looked back up the girl muttered something to the two women sitting across from her and then she headed towards the bathrooms. She glanced over her shoulder at the women who were now talking to one another and not paying any attention, and then the girl quickly walked to the exit door and slipped out.

Before he thought about what he was doing he stood up and stormed towards the door himself. He wasn't exactly sure what the hell he was going to say to the girl but he felt some sort of silent pull to try to do something.

He was a simple man. He led a simple life. He didn't make it a point to involve himself in other people's business so he was a little surprised at himself. He saw her get into the driver's seat of a car and he didn't hesitate. He stormed over.

The overhead light was on and he could see her looking down, busying herself with something in her lap. When he made it all the way to the car she still hadn't noticed that she had been followed. He looked down and saw a small silver box in her hands. She opened the box and he scowled at the contents he saw inside. Without another thought he wretched the door open.

She cried out in alarm, closing the lid and shoving the box back into her purse. He grabbed her wrist and yanked her out of the seat before he grabbed the purse strap and pulled. She gripped it and actually tried to kick him, growling angrily. He easily dodged her efforts the first time but then suddenly someone yelled from the front of the restaurant. He looked up and that was when the girl shoved him hard. It wasn't enough to really do any damage but when he noticed who had yelled he cursed himself for involving himself at all.

The two women were rushing towards him, fear and anger clear on their faces. He heard the girl curse under her breath as well and then she pulled hard on her purse. Before either woman made it to him however he gave one last painful yank, breaking the strap and then holding the purse out of her reach.

"What the hell do you think you're doing!" The blonde woman screeched, grabbing the girl by the arm and pulling her away from him. The other woman didn't say a word. With a cold furious look in her eye she hauled off and hit him right in his jaw.

He'd been hit plenty of times in his life by people with a lot more punch than this little woman but he was still stunned enough to give pause and then the crazy bitch kneed him right in the balls.

"What the fuck!" A familiar voice called out.

He hadn't even realized he'd doubled over in pain until he was looking up and he was sure he had never been so happy to see Piper in his life. She wasn't even five feet tall and she only weighed ninety pounds with her boots on but the girl was tough. And at the moment she was in a rage, her green eyes flashing and her small fists clenched.

The blonde chose that moment to step in front of the ball kicker. That was a mistake. Piper was on her then, swinging up and clipping the blond woman in the jaw so hard that her head flew back. By now he was able to stand upright. The woman that hit him made a grab to pull Piper off the other lady but he wasn't about to watch two women beat the hell out of his niece so he grabbed her around the waist and hauled her back a few feet.

That was a mistake.

Her head slammed back into his mouth and he tasted blood. Daryl had never hit a woman in his life but in that moment he really did want to slap this crazy chick right in the face. He let go of her, his hand going to his mouth. He ran his tongue over his teeth to make sure they were still there. So far so good. He locked eyes with the woman.

He shook his head when she took a step towards him. "I swear to God I ain't ever hit a woman in my life but you take one more step and I'm gonna knock the holy fuck out of you like you're a grown ass man you psycho!" He yelled.

"What the fuck are you all doin' out here!" Damon suddenly yelled.

Daryl looked up at the sound of the boy's voice and then the woman made another move. He dodged her, grabbed her roughly by the arm and spun her around, shoving her into the car and using his body to hold her there as he bent one of her arms behind her back. She cried out in pain but he didn't care. Not right now.

When he looked up again, Damon had Piper and she was struggling to get away from him. She didn't seem to have a mark on her but the blond woman turned, her hand covering a bloodied nose. Jesus Christ! This was the very reason that he always minded his own damn business. The woman pushed back against him but he shoved her harder against the car. There was no fucking way he was going to let go of her until she calmed her crazy ass down.

"I swear to God," she growled, "I'll melt down a tooth brush, find out where you live and I'll shiv you in your sleep you son of a bitch!"

His eyes went wide. Now he knew who this was and how she'd managed to put up such a fight. "Fuck off, convict," he growled right back. His lip was stinging and his balls were aching so bad he thought he was going to throw up. He was having a hard time breathing.

"What the hell were trying to do to my daughter?"

Daryl looked up again. Piper was standing next to Damon now, seeming more calm. Sophia was looking over the other woman. The one he had pinned tried once again to shove him off of her and her ass digging into his groin was hell on his injured jewels so he finally backed up, giving her one more hard shove in the back with his hands just for good measure. She spun around, glaring, chest heaving but he shoved his finger in her face. "Don't even fuckin' think about it, jailbird, or I'll put your ass through that car next time."

She looked over at where the blond was.

Daryl stalked towards the two and then yanked the purse out of Sophia's hand. He spun around, glaring at the woman. "You wanna know what I was tryin' to do to your daughter?" He barked. He dumped the contents onto the ground, picked up the silver box and tossed it to her.

She stared at it before she bent to pick it up. When she opened it he noticed that her fingers were trembling. She stared down at the array of pills for a few long seconds before slowly raising her head. Her eyes locked onto his and he froze, his insides growing cold at the look in her eyes. Complete desolation.

"I was tryin' to fuckin' help," he said, his voice still stiff. He turned on his heel then, grabbing Piper on his way by and hauled her towards the restaurant. Damon didn't follow and at the moment, Daryl didn't care.

"What the fuck was that about?" Piper asked as soon as they made it inside.

He shook his head and wiped his mouth onto the back of his hand before he sat down heavily in his seat. "Next time, your goddamn ass is eatin' hot dogs. I don't care how much you decide to bitch about it."

Piper gave him a sheepish look and then checked her hand, flexing her fingers. She sighed, "Noted."

"And thanks for the back up, killer," he muttered.

She grinned and then picked up her burger, taking a huge bite like nothing had ever happened.

He felt like shit now. He knew the woman hadn't had it easy and walking out there and seeing some man on her daughter like that gave her every right to freak out. He sure as hell didn't envy her. She was in for a rough ride. He scowled and shifted in his seat.


	7. Chapter 7

**Hello. So, I need to address something really quick because the last chapter really bothered one of my silent readers and I feel I need to explain. See, I'm not bothered very easily. Like, I'm seriously offended by very little. I don't get shocked or upset very often. I tend to forget that I'm rather insensitive when it comes to things like violence. I brush things off and go about my business but not everyone is like that. The reader felt that I should have put a warning because of the fight in the last chapter.**

 **I didn't really feel it was really like a man fighting a woman since Daryl was pretty much just trying to keep her from kicking his ass but in retrospect, others could very well see it as something very violent. So I am going to try to remember to put a warning in the chapters where things get heated. But I do have to say, if you are very sensitive about things like that, this might not be the story for you. I would hate for someone to find themselves bothered by the content or offended in any way and I would hate to have to change anything that I already have written out of fear of it being too much for anyone. I do appreciate everyone who gives these stories a shot, but completely understand when something is too much and you have to walk away. It happens all the time.**

 **Hopefully this chapter isn't too bad and thanks for reading!**

 **Chapter Seven**

The drive home was silent and tense and excruciating. Carol felt like she were drowning. Andrea had mentioned that she thought that Sophia was doing something but she had tried to deny it to herself. She had tried to tell herself that her daughter was just a teenager that was simply acting out. She was trying to find herself. Carol wasn't sure what to say. She wasn't sure what she was suppose to do in this situation because she'd never pictured herself in this situation.

"Who was that man?" Andrea asked suddenly. She looked like she had a whole lot more she wanted to say but she seemed to be trying to back away from the situation.

"Daryl Dixon."

Andrea turned in her seat, realized she was driving and then turned back around quickly. "How in the hell do you know that man! Do you have any idea the kind of family he comes from? Those men... that whole family is nothing but trouble."

Sophia didn't say anything so Carol turned in her seat. Sophia was staring out the side window. "Sophia, what are you doing hanging around people like them? He's a grown man." She wasn't going to judge the man. Even though it had been terrifying and chaotic and he had actually roughed her up a little, he had only been trying to help her daughter. But she had heard of the Dixons. The town wasn't very big and she knew of the family. What she knew wasn't really good.

Sophia finally turned her head and Carol nearly looked away. There was nothing in the girl's eyes but contempt. "Are you two seriously going to judge them? A martyr and a murderer?" She laughed but it was humorless and bitter. "You married a woman beater. You got pregnant and you brought a child into a world that was horrible and dangerous, and then you killed the man and forced me to play daughter to someone I barely even knew. And you're going to sit there and lecture me on who I should and shouldn't hang out with?"

Carol felt her eyes grow wide and a lump form in her throat. How was she suppose to handle this? She didn't know what the hell she was doing.

"That's enough," Andrea snapped when it was clear that Carol had no words at the moment.

"Why? Because it doesn't feel very good to be judged? Just drop the act Andrea. You couldn't be happier that my mom got out. Now I'm not your problem."

Andrea surprised them both when she slammed on the breaks, pulling over to the shoulder. She turned in her seat, her eyes hard and her jaw set angrily. "I have never done anything to make you feel that way. You want to know what the real problem is? It isn't me and it isn't your mom. It's you feeling sorry for yourself and you're lashing out and finding any excuse you can to fuck your life up. Well guess what? Life sucks, Sophia. It sucks for everybody but the strong people, they fight through the bad times. All I see you doing is wallowing!"

Sophia shook her head and her eyes filled with tears and Carol could have slapped her best friend at the moment. The next thing she knew, the girl was gone. She opened the door and took off before Andrea or Carol could even register what she was doing.

~H~

Daryl glared at his reflection in the mirror. He had a cut on his lip but that wasn't what he was glaring at. What the hell had he been thinking? Why had he felt so compelled to do that tonight? He had enough on his plate. He didn't need to get himself mixed up in anything. That girl wasn't his problem. He felt for her. He knew that whatever she was going through, it was hard. Harder than some could cope with. But she wasn't his kid. She wasn't even his kin. He didn't owe her a damn thing.

And her crazy fucking mama threatening to stab him in his sleep with a toothbrush! He hoped to hell that woman felt like a tool for acting like a freak when all he had been trying to do was keep the girl from eating any more pills.

He couldn't help but feel bad for the woman though. He hadn't even known she was out of prison yet. She couldn't have gotten out very long ago and then she comes out of that burger place and sees, what looks like, some guy assaulting her daughter. He didn't really blame her for acting the way she did.

He chuckled and shook his head. She sure as fuck hadn't pulled any stops either. Talk about prison hardening a woman. If she hadn't busted his balls, literally, then he'd probably have a pretty strong respect for her. But that had been a dirty cheap shot.

He turned off the light and was about to head to bed. He had dropped Piper off at Merle's and Damon, who seemed more troubled than he should be, turned in early. He stopped in the hall when he thought he heard a soft knock coming from the living room. He frowned, cocking his head to the side and listening carefully. It had started raining again and for a second he thought he'd been mistaken but then he heard it again.

He walked to the door, wondering what the fuck else could be going on that he'd be getting a knock on the door at ten at night. No one came over here but Piper or his dad and brother. He turned the porch light on and then pulled the curtain back. He frowned at the site he saw and pulled open the door.

Sophia was standing there, soaked to the bone. He glanced behind her but he didn't see her mom or the other lady. When he met her eyes she was silently pleading. They were red rimmed and swollen. "Is Damon home?"

He sighed wearily and opened the door wide. She stepped inside, her arms wrapping around herself. "Hold on a minute," he muttered and left her standing there while he grabbed a couple of towels. He should have demanded she call her damn mama and get the fuck out of his house. Instead he handed her the towels. "Damon's in bed," he muttered

She paused in the middle of the drying her face off. "Oh," was her only response.

"Your mama know where you are?" He asked.

She shook her head. "I bailed outta the car. I didn't know where else to go."

He ran a hand through his hair and then gestured towards the kitchen. "Come on," he said, after a few long moments. He knew what he should do. He should call the woman and tell her that her daughter was here. Instead he pulled out a coffee cup and filled it with water. He could feel her eyes tracking him as he put the cup in the microwave and grabbed Damon's hidden box of hot chocolate from behind the bread box. She looked away when he turned around.

"This is a nice place," she muttered, looking down at the table.

"It's Damon's," he said quickly.

She looked up, a frown in place. "Damon's?"

Maybe he shouldn't be blabbing personal family business to this kid. Then again, maybe that was exactly what he needed to do. "His folks died six years ago. Got hit by a drunk driver. It's why I'm here."

She pulled the towel further around herself and looked away. He didn't say anything else as he fixed the cup and then sat it down in front of her. She looked up, the corner of her mouth turning up slightly as she looked down at the steam. "Hot chocolate?"

"The only thing else I got is beer and I ain't about to offer you one," he muttered.

She nodded ran her finger over the rim of the cup. "Why aren't you making me leave?"

He drummed his fingers onto the wood and stared down at the table top before answering. Why the hell wasn't he making her leave? This was not his goddamn problem. This was not his goddamn kid. "Why'd you come here?" He asked instead of answering her question. He knew enough to know that she didn't hang out with Damon or Piper. She wasn't one of their regular friends. Damon had only brought her here because he hadn't known how else to help her last weekend.

"I didn't have anywhere else to go," she said.

He looked up, a frown in place. She took a drink and then her eyebrows shot up in surprise. "This is good."

The corner of his mouth pulled up. "Two packets. That's the secret." He was surprised because in that few seconds she looked exactly like the kid that she was really was.

Then her eyes grew distant again and she looked back up at him. "So for the past six years it's just been the two of you?"

He nodded. "Piper's here a lot and my brother and dad but other than that, it's just been me and him since it happened."

"You've done a really good job. He's a great guy."

Daryl snorted but he felt a measure of pride settle inside his chest. She was right. After everything Damon had been through, he had risen above it and was becoming a damn good man. He knew that a lot of that simply had to do with the reservoir of strength the boy had in him. But he secretly liked to think to himself that he had played a hand in it. He'd done everything he could to bring Damon up right. He'd just never heard anyone give him any credit out loud before.

He realized then that that's what this boiled down to. He saw himself in this girl and he wanted, _needed_ , to help her find a way out of the hell that she had created for herself. Damon had risen above the pain because Daryl had been there to help him through it. This girl, he doubted that she had ever had anyone try. "Why did you bail on your mama, kid?" He asked after a few long silent moments.

She shook her head and tried unsuccessfully to blink back tears. She settled further into the chair and wiped the few that escaped from her cheeks. "I don't know how to do this." She looked up. "I don't know how to be her daughter and it's so fucking obvious that she doesn't know how to be a mom anymore. Things aren't like they were when I was ten. I don't even know how to start."

He swallowed hard. "She threatened to melt down a toothbrush and stab me with it because she thought I was tryin' to hurt you. I think she knows how to be a mom."

"She killed my dad," she said, meeting his eyes like she was challenging him.

He nodded. "I know."

She blinked. "You know?"

"I've lived here my whole life. I remember when it happened cause it was around the same time Damon's parents were killed. From what I heard, she shoulda killed the son of a bitch a lot sooner than she did. You think she shoulda went ahead and let him beat you?"

She shook her head and looked down. "No. I was always afraid of him. He probably would have killed us both eventually."

"Then what's the problem?"

Sophia looked away. "Why the hell is it easier to talk to you than it is them?"

He shrugged. "I don't know, kid." He fished his phone out of his pocket. "Maybe we'll figure that out eventually. What's her number?"

Sophia shook her head. "I can't go back there."

He waited, watching her without saying a word. Finally she took the phone from him and dialed a number, handing it back. He hit send and then stood up, leaving her alone in the kitchen while he did what he could to help her out.


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter Eight**

Carol was frantic and Andrea tried to calm her down but it wasn't working. Sophia's words seemed to punch through her brain over and over and then she was just gone. They had driven around for a while trying to find her until Andrea finally agreed to take Carol to the police station. They had been no help at all. If Sophia didn't show back up in twenty four hours then they would file a report. Until then, there wasn't anything they could do.

"I don't know how to do this," she said, her eyes stinging as she sat down heavily in the kitchen chair. "Drugs? Really? How the hell could this happen?"

"I think every parent that has ever been through this has asked the same thing. Hell, I've been asking myself that question for a while now," Andrea said as she sat down across from her. "I wish I never said what I said to her. I'm so sorry."

Carol shook her head. "I wish the same thing but there isn't anything we can do about it now. Has she ever done this before?" A question that she should know the answer to.

Andrea nodded. "It's what she always does. She runs. She's been this way for a year, Carol. It's going to take more than a day for her to change."

Carol nodded and then her head came up when Andrea's phone started going off.

Andrea gave her a reassuring smile and then answered with a tired, "Hello?" She looked up sharply closed her eyes for a few long moments and then handed Carol the phone.

She gave Andrea a questioning look. "Hello?"

"If you swear you won't kick me in the nuts again I'll give you the address where you can pick your kid up."

"You have my daughter?" She snapped, recognizing the voice instantly and forgetting all about what he had tried to do for Sophia earlier.

"She showed up on my doorstep, lady," he snapped right back, his voice low and almost threatening. "Don't act like I had a damn thing to do with where she ended up."

"Well it seems to be pretty damn obvious to me that the two of you know one another. Why the hell would she go to your house? Better yet, how in the world would she know where you live to begin with? You're a grown man and she's a sixteen year old-"

"Are you fuckin' serious right now? You know what-"

"Where is she?" Carol asked. "Just tell me where to pick her up and then me and you won't have to speak again. But I want you to stay away from her. Do you understand me?"

"Carol?" Andrea asked, her hand on her arm.

"Hello?" Carol took the phone away from her ear and looked at the screen. The call had ended. "He hung up on me!"

"You kind of insinuated he was a total creep. Actually he has custody of his cousin who is in Sophia's grade and that was probably why she went there. Not for Daryl but because she's possibly friends with the boy. The one that tore the redhead off of me."

"Oh my God. Now I have no idea where she is. I didn't know he had a child!" Carol felt drained already. Had she really just got out today? How could she have possibly messed up this badly her very first day out of prison?

"No worries. I know where they live. Let's go," Andrea said, grabbing the keys.

Carol put a hand on her hand, stopping her. "How do you know where they live?"

"Because we live in a town of three thousand people. I know where everyone lives," Andrea offered her a weak smile but Carol couldn't bring herself to return it.

"Do you care if I do this on my own? I owe him an apology and I need to start-"

"Go ahead. It's way past time for the two of you to get this fixed," Andrea said, pulling her into a hug.

Carol hugged her back quickly and then wrote down the address just in case she forgot.

~H~

The kid had nodded off on the couch. Opiates did that to a person. She'd been trying to fight it in the kitchen after he had gotten off the phone with her impossible fucking mother but finally he'd had her follow him to the living room and she had been out like a light as soon as she sat down.

He thought about patting her down to see if she had anymore drugs on her but decided against it. The idiotic shit that her mom had talked on the phone was bad enough. He couldn't, in good conscience, put his hands in her pockets, even if he knew there were pills in there. So he just had to hope that her whole stash had been in that little box of hers.

He pulled the quilt down that was draped over the back of the couch and tossed it over her. He shouldn't have hung up on the woman. He should have just bit his tongue and told her where her kid was but goddamn, she was impossible. And the shit she was saying had made him sick. He'd been called a lot of things in his life but no one had ever accused him of being some sort sick fucking child molester. It had pissed him off. Let her worry about her kid. It wasn't his fucking problem. Damon could drop the girl off at her house in the morning.

He was about to head down the hall to his room when he heard a sharp knock on the door. He huffed out a breath and cursed. Looks like she'd found him anyway. Well, if she thought that she could talk shit to him and then be invited inside right away, she was goddamn mistaken. He stormed to the door and turned on the porch light.

When he moved the curtain aside she met his eyes. He raised his brows questioningly and her eyes narrowed. With another muttered curse he opened the door and stepped out onto the porch. He crossed his arms over his chest.

"Where is she?" She asked, trying to look past him.

"She passed out."

"Well, are you going to let me in so I can get her?"

He stared at her, his lips set in a thin angry line.

She finally averted her gaze and then she shook her head. "Look, I'm sorry for saying what I said on the phone. But what else was I suppose to think? I didn't know anything about you?"

"And what? Now you do?" He asked, finally letting his eyes rake over her since she wasn't looking at him anymore. He silently grumbled to himself because he actually liked what he was seeing. Long legs encased in a pair of low slung jeans that wrapped around her hips in a way that showed off her curves. A button down shirt that fit her tight in the waist with the top buttons left open to show off a hint of a lacy looking undershirt, and an ample amount of pale freckled skin.

"I know enough to come here with an apology, okay? Now, I need you to let me in so I can wake my daughter up and get the hell out of here."

Reluctantly he opened the door and stomped inside. She followed and he flipped on the light. Sophia was still in the same spot she had been in a minute ago.

"This is a really nice place. I like open floor plans like this," she muttered, looking down at the sleeping girl.

"Yeah, I bet you do," he quipped sarcastically.

"What the hell is that suppose to mean?" She snapped, her eyes coming up and locking onto his. It was hard for him to imagine that this woman was a victim of domestic abuse.

"It means, you've spent the last six years with an eight by eight. Makes since that you'd like an open floor plan."

"Don't act like you know anything about me at all," she said, her voice low.

"I'd ask you for the same damn favor but it looks like we're past that," he said, giving her a hard look as her words from earlier reminded him exactly why he didn't need to be checking out her ass.

She ignored him and shook Sophia's shoulder. "Sophia?" She said in a low voice, giving her shoulder another quick shake.

He shook his head as Carol continued to try to wake the girl up. After a full minute she looked up, her eyes wide and panicked. "What's wrong with her?"

He shrugged. "I told you she passed out. She crashed. You ain't gonna be wakin' her up."

She looked back down. "What do I do? Should I call an ambulance?"

He shook his head, watching her carefully. "She'll be alright after a few hours of sleep. Damon can drop her off at your place in the mornin'."

"I'm not just leaving her here!" She hissed, those wide eyes landing on him.

He shrugged. "Then good luck carryin' her out."

"I-" Her voice trailed off and her eyes filled with tears, cracking every defense he had in place.

He ran a hand through his hair. "Listen, I'll make a pot of coffee and you can just hang around until she's up, alright. She ain't gonna die. She was in a lot worse shape than this when Damon brought her home last weekend. She's fine."

"What do you mean, when Damon brought her here last weekend?"

"Him and my niece were at the same party. She got wasted and they saw some guy take her into the back. Damon went back there before the other guy had a chance to get her clothes off. Damon didn't know what to do so he brought her here. He took her home the next day."

"Oh my God," Carol breathed.

"So, like I said, you can hang out here until she's up."

Carol shook her head. "I can't ask you to do that."

"Trust me lady, I don't like you. At all. This ain't for you it's for her."

She narrowed her eyes. "I don't like you either. You're gruff and you're rude. I'm only staying here for her."

He snorted and walked to the kitchen, readying the pot. It was obviously going to be a long fucking night.


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter Nine**

She didn't want to compliment the coffee but if he wasn't an asshole that she couldn't stand, she would have praised the hell out of it. It was strong but it wasn't bitter. Daryl Dixon was bitter enough so she just sat there and glanced around the room like an idiot.

She wasn't sure what she had expected when she came here but it wasn't this. His house wasn't huge or anything but it seemed that way since the rooms were so airy. The living room flowed into a dining area that flowed into a rather spacious kitchen that was separated from it all by a half wall and a wide open doorway. All in all, the space just seemed... happy.

"So, how was prison?" He asked, a mean glint in his eyes.

She glared. "Probably about as lonely and desolate as being a middle aged single man living alone with a teenage boy."

He narrowed his eyes. "If most women act like you then trust me, I'd rather live alone with a teenage boy."

"Well if most men acted like you then the human race would most likely be doomed, since there would be no procreating with a jackass." She really was sick of him. Well, not him really. She was sick of the two of them being nasty to one another. "Look, I told you that I was sorry about what I said on the phone. Can we just stop this?"

He shrugged. "I didn't hear you apologizing for bustin' my lip or kneeing my balls up into the back of my throat."

"I thought you were trying to hurt my daughter."

"And then you found out that I wasn't and you still acted like a grade A bitch. Look, I get it. You were married to some piece of shit that beat your ass but I ain't got nothin' to do with that. I think you just got some fucked up vendetta against any man that happens by."

"I do not! And I am sorry for what happened in the parking lot. Now can we at least be civil until Sophia wakes up and we won't ever have to see each other again?"

He was quiet for a few long moments but then he finally nodded. "I can handle a truce I guess. Shouldn't you call your friend, though?"

She cursed. "I don't have a phone yet. I just got out today."

"Damn, no wonder your people skills suck ass," he grumbled, pulling his own phone from his pocket and sliding it across the table.

She eyed him. "Boundaries, Daryl. We had boundaries."

His lips twitched but he turned his head before she could catch a smile that may blossom there. She quickly dialed the number and then winced when it started ringing. He had the volume turned up so loud she had to move the phone away from her ear.

"Hello?" Andrea answered on the second ring.

"Hey, it's me."

"Is Sophia okay?" Andrea asked quickly.

"She's... sleeping. I'm going to just let her sleep. I'll be back in the morning."

Andrea was quiet for a long time and Carol thought maybe she had lost the call. When she suddenly spoke Carol wished that she had lost connection. "Are you going to have sex with Daryl Dixon?"

Carol winced when Daryl's head snapped up. She refused to even look at him, knowing he had heard her. "Of course not!"

"What do you mean, _of course not_? You haven't been touched by a man in over six years and you probably haven't had a decent orgasm that wasn't self inflicted in seventeen years because you said yourself that Ed was horrible in bed. Just have him shove you up against the wall like he did that car tonight. You'll thank me for it tomorrow."

Carol sat there with her mouth hanging open, her face flaming. "Andrea, I'm not interested in him. At all."

"Just earlier you said that it was a shame you damaged his face since he was so-"

"I'll talk to you in the morning, okay?" Carol said quickly.

"I want details. I'm talking length, diameter, technique-"

Carol hung up and shoved the phone towards him. She risked a glance and saw that even the tips of his ears were bright red. He shoved the phone into his pocket and slid down a little in his seat. She did the same. This was just great. They go from open animosity to feeling like awkward teenagers in 60 seconds flat. She was half tempted to start another fight with him.

They sat there in silence for a long time before she finally couldn't take it anymore. She cleared her throat and finally looked at him. He was chewing his thumbnail and staring off at nothing. "Do you want to go to bed?"

His eyes went wide and he slowly turned his head until he was staring at her. His eyes flicked towards the hallway and then back to her. "What?"

She realized then how that must have sounded and she shook her head quickly. "You. I meant you can go to bed if you want. You don't have to stay up with me." She felt like such an idiot but he seemed to relax slightly.

He shook his head. "Nah. I'll just call my old man and tell him I ain't comin' in tomorrow. I can just sleep when you leave."

"Maybe you aren't as big a jerk as I thought you were," she muttered, picking up the cup and then draining it.

He got up and grabbed it, taking it to the pot with his own, filling both cups back up. "Maybe I don't trust some ex con in my house while I'm in bed."

She looked up, ready to offer him some biting remark but the corner of his mouth was turned up and his eyes had a mischievous glint now instead of a mean one. She bit back a small smile of her own and just shook her head at him disprovingly.

He sat the cup down in front of her but he didn't sit back down. He leaned against the counter with his ankles crossed. She held the mug, warming her hands and took a moment to really look at him since he wasn't looking. He had a solid build that she could grudgingly appreciate. His shoulders were broad and his arms were well defined. His legs were long and, unlike a lot of men, well defined as well. A lot of men were afflicted with Chicken legs but he wasn't one of them. He had a slender waist and...

Her eyes zoned in on his crotch and Andrea's words flitted through her tired mind. He was wearing a pair of cargo pants that were a little bit on the baggy side and if she didn't know any better she was looking right at a very impressive packa-

"What the hell are you starin' at?"

The sound of his voice startled her so badly that she spilled the contents of the cup all down the front of her shirt. She hissed in pain and stood up, pulling the material of her shirt away from her stomach to ease the burn but it was no use. It was something Andrea had picked out and it was too tight. She went for the buttons, secure in the fact that she was at least wearing a tank top underneath.

"You alright?" He asked, sounding like he was much closer as she stripped the over shirt off. The genuine concern in his voice was surprising.

"I'm fine."

"You're soaked. Come on. I'll show you where the bathroom is and find you somethin' else to wear. That's gotta fuckin' burn like hell."

"You don't have to do that. I'll be fine," she said as she pulled the shirt away. Luckily it was made out of some kind of stretchy material.

"Don't be stupid. I ain't gonna have you sittin' around all hot and wet when I can remedy the situa-" He quickly closed his mouth when her head shot up to stare at him.

"Okay. If you have a spare shirt or something then I can get out of this."

He nodded. "Yeah. That's what I was talkin' about," he muttered as he walked past her.

She followed him down the hall to the room at the far end, holding her shirt away from her stinging skin. She just had to hope it didn't blister. He flipped on the light and walked to another door. This proved to be a closet. He grabbed a shirt, muttering something under his breath. When he turned around he nearly jumped out of his skin.

"Jesus Christ! Why the hell you sneakin' around? I thought you were waiting in the bathroom," he hissed.

She shrugged. "I didn't try. I guess you learn to be quiet in prison."

He tossed her the shirt. "Well, quit that shit," he grumbled.

She caught it and fell in step beside him as he stalked out of the room. He pointed to the door and she slipped into the bathroom without a word. She pulled off the tank top and scowled at her reflection. Her pale skin was pink and blotchy but it didn't look as bad as it had felt. There was a shelf next to the shower and she grabbed a clean cloth from it. Holding the cold wet cloth to her skin she felt a little better.

There was a light tap at the door and she turned around, her eyes narrowed. "Give me a minute. You haven't even given me time to get dressed yet," she grumbled at the closed door. She hurriedly pulled his shirt over her head and then paused, breathing deeply. She shook her head and scowled as his scent filled her nose. Why did he have to smell so good? She pulled the door open, expecting him to be standing there but he wasn't.

Instead she looked up into the surprised eyes of Damon Dixon.

"Oh my God," she muttered.

He looked down, realized he wasn't wearing anything but a pair of boxers and then had the decency to blush. "Shit. Sorry. I thought Daryl was in there. I thought I was just hearin' shit. He's never brought a woman here before."

"He didn't bring me here! I drove."

His eyebrows raised. "Hey, no shame in goin' after it when you want it. I'm not here to judge. I just wanna take a piss and then go back to bed."

She slipped out of the bathroom and hurried down the hall.


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter Ten**

Daryl ran a hand through his hair as he rinsed out their cups. He felt more than a little out of sorts and he was ready to get the night over with. He'd heard every embarrassing ass word that came out of her friends mouth. It was bad enough that he was having trouble keeping his head on straight. Now it was goddamn impossible to do that. She hadn't been touched in six years. On the surface, he had assumed that. But then he really thought about what that implied. Six years was a long fucking time.

He wasn't stupid enough to think that he was some sort of goddamn sex God, but he _was_ Merle Dixon's brother and there wasn't any trick out there that Daryl hadn't heard of to get a woman off. And from what her friend had said, Carol wouldn't even be too damn hard to impress. Her asshole husband had been a total flop in the sack, which wasn't surprising. Usually when a man laid hands on a woman it was because they didn't feel like a real man in other aspects. Seventeen years of pent up sexual aggression. No wonder she was eyeballing his dick.

Goddamn it! Why did he have to want to sleep with this woman?

"Your cousin saw me."

He turned around at the sound of her voice. "So."

Her eyes were wide and she was flushed and she looked good as fuck in his shirt. She threw her hands up. "He thinks there's something going on."

He snorted. "He knows better than that."

She sat down heavily in the chair and sighed. "This night has been a complete disaster."

He shook his head and leaned into the counter again. "You got outta jail. You got to rough up some poor guy in a parking lot. Now you're living the wild life and spendin' the night with a man you don't know. Could be worse." He didn't know why he was trying to make her feel better. He didn't like her at all. He could be physically attracted to her without liking her.

She looked up and then she smiled. He blinked in surprise. He hadn't seen her smile until now and it lit up her face. It didn't last very long though and she looked down at her hands. "What am suppose to do with her?" She asked, sadness washing the light away, leaving her pale and drawn.

He didn't have an answer for her. He had been an addict himself and nothing had helped at first. It wasn't until someone actually realized how to help him before he was able to kick his own demons.

"Do you think she's been on it for very long?" She asked, rubbing at the tension in the back of her neck.

He shrugged. "It's kind of hard to tell. When did she start actin' different?"

She blew out a breath. "Andrea said she started acting different about a year ago. That was when she stopped coming for visits. She stopped writing. She just shut down. I think I need to call and try to get her into rehab. Maybe by the time school starts back up she'll be-"

"No!" He pushed away from the counter, shaking his head. "You can't do that to her." He remembered what it was like in those places and he knew that they never helped him. All it did was make him feel more alone, more confused. He didn't want the girl to go through that. Some people _needed_ places like that but he didn't think she did. Somehow he knew exactly what she needed. She needed _him_.

"You can't stand there and tell me how to raise my daughter," she snapped. "This is the best thing I can do for her."

"Are you fucking serious! The day after you get out of prison you send her away? That's the best thing you can do for her? No goddamn wonder she's in this fuckin' mess!"

"You have no fucking idea what I've been through!" She growled. "Or her for that matter!"

"I don't give a goddamn what _you've_ been through! This ain't about you. It's about a fucking kid that feels like her life ain't worth livin' anymore. It's about how she feels inside, not what you might be goin' through. Of all the selfish goddamn things I've ever fuckin' heard!"

"I'm not being selfish!" she snapped.

"You don't know what the fuck you're doin'. You're gonna make it worse. She's gonna feel like-"

"How the hell can you stand there and act like you know? You don't know her."

Daryl's hands slammed down onto the table with enough force to cause her whole body to tense and fear replaced the outrage in her eyes. She thought he was going to hit her and he knew it. He took a steadying breath. He didn't want her to be afraid of him.

"I don't have to know her. I've lived it myself. I was just like her... No," he shook his head, "I was way further gone than her. And they sent me off over and over and the only thing it did was prove to me that they didn't give a fuck. That it was easier to hide me away than to look me in the goddamn eye and face what they did. So don't you sit there and tell me I don't know. I _do_ know. I know a lot more about what's in her head than you ever will."

She refused to look away, even though that fear was still clear in her eyes and the artery in her neck was jumping fast. She blinked tears back but he refused to let them wear on him. He would fight for the kid because for a long damn time he hadn't had anyone around to fight for him. In the beginning even June and Odin had thrown up their hands and watched him spiral, thinking that sending him off was what he had needed.

"I don't know how to fix her," she whispered, a tear escaping and the fearful look dissolving into desperation.

He shook his head, "She's a little bent. She's cracked and she's chipped but she ain't fuckin' broken. You can't fix what ain't broke."

"Then what can I do about the cracks?" She asked, her eyes clearing a little.

He shook his head. "Let me worry about the damn cracks, alright? I know what I'm doin'. Two weeks. You give me two weeks and if I can't help her then we'll do what you wanna do but if you care about her at all, you'll just step back and at least let me try."

He hadn't realized that he was leaning closer. Too close for comfort but he really was desperate. She blew out a breath, biting her lip while she studied him. All he could do now was hope like hell he had gotten through to her.

"Two weeks?" She asked in a near whisper.

He nodded, still not moving away from her.

"Why do you care so much?"

He shook his head, feeling the force of the conversation weighing heavily on him. He didn't talk about his past with people. He didn't talk about it with anyone. Now this woman that he barely knew had access to some of the darkest moments in his life and he felt exposed. "Cause she's just a kid. Kids shouldn't have to go through the shit she's been through. The ones that's been through it, they shouldn't have to feel like every fuckin' day is the end of the world."

"And you were like her?"

He nodded, hating to admit anything to a stranger but not able to do anything about it now. "I was a lot worse than her and for a lot longer."

"You really think you can help her?"

He nodded again. He truly did think that he could help her. Hell, she hadn't been there for ten minutes earlier and he had warn her down a little bit. She just needed somebody that would listen. She needed somebody she could trust. She needed him because he understood and right now, in her head, she didn't believe that there was anyone out there that did.

She wiped her face just like Sophia had done earlier and he saw the resemblance then. "I don't want to be shut out anymore. I want to help her too."

"You sure you're up for that?"

"I'm a hardened criminal. Of course I'm up for it," she muttered, offering him a slight smile.

~H~

Sophia rolled over and then jerked up just in time to keep herself from spilling onto the floor. She wasn't as out of it as she had been the first time she had woken up in this house. She remembered coming here and she remembered talking to Daryl. The fight she had ran from in the car. She knew everything. She had only taken enough to get her through the day so it hadn't really affected her mind too much. She hadn't over done it.

She didn't want to face her mom and Andrea this morning but she couldn't hide out here forever. She would have if she could but they would find her. Or they would report her and then Daryl would be the one to get in trouble and she didn't want that.

She rubbed her eyes and moved so her feet were on the floor. She felt bad for what had happened to him the night before. Her mom had really done a number on him before he had managed to pin her against that car, and even then her mom had tried to fight him off. She had also felt bad last night when she had found herself here. But there was something about the man. It was the way he looked at her. It wasn't like the way other people did. Damon was the same way. They treated her like she was a person and not some basket case. They talked _to_ her, not _at_ her.

She pushed the quilt off to the side and stood up, stretching. The house was silent but she saw light coming from the kitchen. Before checking to see if anyone else was up she went down the hall towards the bathroom. The door was closed but before she could knock, it opened up. Steam billowed out and then Damon stepped out, stopping in his tracks when he saw her.

She stared. There wasn't anything else she could do. He had a towel wrapped low around his hips and his bare torso was beaded with water, his damp hair hung past his shoulders. He wasn't built like other boys his age. He was heavily muscled, his chest and shoulders were broad.

"You here to pick up your mom?"

She looked up at his face, flushing because he had one dark eyebrow raised. He knew she'd just been checking him out. She cleared her throat. "Huh?"

"Your mom was here last night. Figured she stayed."

"My mom was here?"

He nodded and then stepped around her. "Yep. When I got up to use the bathroom last night she was comin' out of the bathroom wearin' one of Daryl's shirts and lookin' pretty flushed. If you ain't here to pick her up then what are you doin' here?"

"I came here last night."

He frowned. "Last night? You crash here?"

She nodded. "On the couch. I didn't know she came here."

"Well, I'd love to stand out here and chat but I'm kinda naked so..."

She felt her face flame and then she nodded. "Yeah, I was just..."

He grinned, shook his head and slipped into his room.

She rolled her eyes at herself. God, he had to think she was a moron! She slipped into the bathroom, wondering what the hell her mom had been doing here and why the hell she had been here wearing Daryl's shirt.


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter Eleven**

Sophia washed her face and brushed her hair and tried to straighten up her clothes but since they had been wet when she had fallen asleep there was no hope for them. When she came out of the bathroom she at least felt a little bit better.

In the kitchen she found an odd sight. Her mom was there, her eyes bloodshot as she flipped through some kind of car magazine. Daryl was sitting across from her, his head lying on his arms. He seemed to be sound asleep.

Carol looked up, their eyes meeting briefly before Sophia had to look away before Carol started talking. "It's still early enough. We can go home and you can get ready and then-"

"I can pick her up and give her a lift to school," Damon said as he entered the room. "Looks like you two had a rough night," he said, motioning to a still sleeping Daryl.

Sophia looked between her mom and the sleeping man and couldn't help it. She smiled. Carol was glaring at Damon, her face flushing deeply. When she looked at Sophia she seemed surprised and then she blinked and smiled back.

"I spilled coffee on myself last night," she said quickly, glancing back at Damon who was reaching up onto the highest shelf of the pantry and pulling down a box of Captain Crunch.

Damon glanced over his shoulder. "Oh, I don't need details, lady."

Carol scoffed and then stood up. The sound of the chair scraping against the tile had Daryl's head coming up quickly. He glanced around and then wiped drool off the side of his face. He looked completely confused and Sophia was surprised that for the second time in the past three minutes, she found her lips turning up in a smile.

Damon walked by, elbowing her in the arm. When she looked up he winked at her and then eyed Daryl and her mom. Before she knew what was happening, she laughed. The sound surprised her and she cut it off quickly.

"Are you ready? I need to at least change," she said quickly, feeling everyone's eyes on her.

Carol nodded. "Yeah, I need to get Andrea's car back to her."

Sophia watched as her mom and Daryl shared a look from across the table. The look was heavy and when Sophia glanced up at Damon even he seemed to be watching them curiously. Suddenly Carol gave him a small nod and then Daryl stood up and met Damon's curious gaze.

"Bring her to the shop after school today," he said before he stretched and yawned.

Damon frowned. "The shop?"

Daryl nodded. "That's what I said."

Sophia wasn't sure what was going on. "What are you talking about?"

Daryl shrugged lightly. "You and your mom start working there today. You're gonna learn how to push a broom and clean grease off the tools and your mom's gonna take over crunching numbers and answerin' phones since I doubt she's learned to do much more than that while she was in the pen."

"Very funny," Carol growled, trying to keep from glaring at the man.

Daryl barely spared her a glance. "I call'em like a see'em."

Carol smiled sweetly. "That's a very admirable quality, Daryl. I think I might take your lead. Asshole."

He narrowed his eyes.

"Just calling them like I see them. Let's go Sophia," she said, turning on her heel and walking towards the door without a backwards glance.

Sophia followed her, too surprised to even say anything.

"Hey!" Daryl called right before Carol opened the front door. "You should be thankin' me. It's hard for a felon to find a job in a town this small. I'll pick you up at two."

Carol turned slowly. Daryl was leaning in the doorway to the kitchen, his arms crossed over his chest and his face smug. Carol smiled again. "I hate you."

Daryl waved and stepped back into the kitchen, out of site. Carol growled and yanked the door open, ushering Sophia outside and then slamming the door so hard the window shook in the frame. She was grumbling as she stormed down the steps.

Once Sophia was in the car his words finally sunk in. "I have to work at a shop? Like a garage? Why?"

Carol kept her eyes on the road. "Because it's pretty obvious that you have a lot of free time on your hands. We both need the money. I doubt Andrea wants us living with her for the rest of her life. She's a grown woman. We have six years to make up for and I plan on starting now."

Sophia stared out the window, wondering when her mom had decided to start making decisions for her. She wasn't a little kid. If she wanted a job she could go find her own. "And what if I don't want to work in some dirty shop?"

Carol shrugged. "Then you can put in applications at a few other places and work in the shop until you get a better offer."

Sophia felt her anxiety spike but she knew that after the stunt she had pulled last night that it would be better to let things settle before she told her mom that there was no way in hell she was going to spend her summer stuck in some hole in the wall with her mother. Maybe she didn't have any friends and maybe she didn't see much hope for her future home life but she still should have had a say in this.

She didn't say a word to Andrea when they walked into the house. She went straight to her room and quickly changed clothes. Nothing looked amiss in the room. Everything was exactly as it had been when she had left it yesterday, but when she looked in the small pocket she had made in the side of her mattress she found it empty. She knew she had stashed pills in there but now they were gone.

She stood up quickly, her eyes darting around her room as her heart sank. She tore through every strategic hiding spot that she had and still didn't find anything. Andrea must have ransacked her room last night. She nearly tore her door off, her heart pounding hard as anger and anxiety lit her blood stream. "When were you in my room!" She shouted as soon as she saw the woman.

Andrea looked up. "Last night."

Carol came in then, looking from one face to the other but Sophia barely noticed her. "What did you do with them?" Sophia asked, trying to keep her hands from shaking.

"I flushed them," Andrea said, crossing her arms.

Sophia opened her mouth to say something but there was sharp knock at the door. She knew that it was Damon. She grabbed her bag and glared at Andrea. "Stay the fuck out of my room," she growled before turning and storming towards the door.

"Sophia!" Carol snapped.

She shook her head and stormed out, pushing past Damon and hurrying towards his car. It was fine. She would get to school and talk to Ron and then everything would be fine. He would front her a few just to get her through the day.

"You alright?" Damon asked as he pulled out of the drive.

She shook her head. "I hate that house."

She saw him glance at her from the corner of her eye. "That why you stayed at mine?"

She leaned her head against the window. "Have you ever just wanted to leave. Just get in your car and drive and not look back?" It was one of those stupid questions and she expected him to make fun of her but he didn't laugh.

"Nah. I ever did somethin' like that and Daryl would lose his shit. After everything he's done for my ass, I wouldn't do that to him."

She rolled her eyes. "You know, for all your bad boy image, you're like a total good guy. Do you ever do anything that Daryl might not approve of?" Her voice was mocking.

He pulled into the parking lot and shoved the car into gear, turning in his seat and pinning her with a hard look. "I don't give a fuck about image. Those people in there don't give a damn about anybody but themselves. They don't mean shit to me. What they think about me, ain't my problem. I give a fuck about my family. The people that give a fuck right back. At the end of the day, your family is all you got." He didn't sound angry but she felt like he had just screamed at her.

"I don't care what they think either," she muttered in a lame defense.

He snorted. "Yeah, trust me, I can tell. Or what your mom thinks or the woman that's taken care of you for all these years. Hell, from what I can tell, you don't even care what you think about yourself."

Up until this point he had gone out of his way to be nice to her so this sudden shift in attitude stung worse than if it was coming from anyone else. She had kind of hoped that maybe she had finally found a friend. "That isn't true," she whispered, feeling the need to dull the ache in her mind even more now than she had this morning in her room.

His eyes softened. "Then why do you do the shit you do to yourself?"

She shook her head and was about to escape when he surprised her, leaning all the way across her and slamming the lock on the door.

"Stop fuckin' runnin' from everything, Sophia," he said, his tone matter of fact. "There ain't nowhere to run to."

"Stop acting like you know anything about me. You don't. You don't know what my life's been like. You don't know what I've-" She closed her mouth, remembering exactly who she was talking to. She couldn't pull that crap on him. He had been through more than she had. He had just handled things differently. She didn't know how, but he had.

"Cat got your tongue?" He asked, a knowing look in his eyes. He knew that she knew.

"It feels good," she snapped. "Not feeling. Not worrying. Not caring about anything. It all feels..." she shook her head. "No, that's not right at all. It feels like nothing. Is that what you want to hear? I'm not you. I can't deal with it anymore and so I do what I have to do to make it all go away. Why the hell can't anyone understand that? Why do people look at me like I'm some kind of..." she shook her head again, unable to finish.

"I don't," he said, leaning back.

She looked at him. "I know you don't."

They sat there for a while before he finally sighed and then got out of the car. She followed him, dreading the day. She knew it was going to be a bad one. It didn't matter that it was the last day.


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter Twelve**

Carol woke up later than she wanted to. After only four hours of sleep on Andrea's couch she looked worse than she had in prison. She took a cold shower to wake herself up and then applied enough makeup to make herself look human again. After fussing over her hair it was finally time to figure out what to wear.

Daryl had assured her that her and Sophia both would be able to work in the shop until they found something better. But he did say that she would have to talk to his father and his brother today. That made her nervous and she wasn't sure if this was like an actual job interview. So did she put on a pair of jeans or did she dress in something a little more acceptable for a job interview?

"I don't know what to wear," she said as she breezed out of the bathroom.

Andrea looked up. "Well, anything is better than what you have on, since you don't plan on sleeping with him."

Carol looked down at the towel she had wrapped around herself. Her and Andrea had actually gotten into a screaming match earlier. Now they were both steadfastly pretending that it had never happened. "Do I dress up?"

"For a job in a bike shop? Probably not."

"So I just wear regular clothes?"

Andrea sighed and stalked past her, grabbing her by the elbow on her way by. "Let me do my magic. By the way, you look really great. Prison didn't dim your ability to apply strategic eye makeup anyway.

Carol rolled her eyes and sat down on Andrea's bed, waiting for her to find something suitable. She pulled out a dress and examined it critically. It wasn't anything fancy and Carol actually liked it but Andrea tossed it to the side. She was probably right. A dress would be too much.

Finally, once Carol was sure she wasn't even going to have enough time to put any clothes on at all, Andrea grabbed the dress that was the first thing she had tossed to the side. It wasn't overly short but she still raised an eyebrow. "Are you sure about this?" She liked it, and it was simple enough but she hadn't worn a dress in a long time. Ed had forbid her while they had been married.

Andrea shrugged. "You play up what God gave you. He blessed me with big boobs and he blessed you with killer legs. Thankfully he blessed us both with tight asses."

"I'm not going there to impress anyone, Andrea," Carol groaned but she slipped it on anyway. It came down a few inches above her knee and the material was light so she would stay cooler.

"Well, you'll impress them without meaning to. Green is your color. And if you do decide to thaw out a little, all he'll have to do is undo that knot at the back of your neck and the whole thing will fall right off."

Carol rolled her eyes and took the sandals that Andrea handed her. As soon as she had them on her feet there was an obnoxious knock at the door. She glanced at the clock and then hurried to open it, knowing it was him. It was already five minutes past time for him to be here. She threw the door open.

His eyes were hidden behind dark sunglasses. They stood there for a few silent seconds before he spoke. "You wearin' that?" He asked suddenly.

She felt herself flush deeply. She must have looked seriously stupid for him to ask that. "Don't be an asshole as soon as I open the door, Daryl. I don't look that bad."

He pulled the glasses off and his gaze swept over her slowly. "Not what I was getting at," he said, turning and pointing to the street.

"Crap," she muttered. "I'll go change."

He shook his head. "No time. The old man already postponed a meeting with a supplier. We make him wait any more and he's gonna be pissed."

She followed him down the sidewalk. "I can't get on that thing in this! You didn't tell me you were picking me up on a motor cycle."

"I wasn't plannin' on it. Just shut up and get on," he grumbled, swinging his leg around and straddling the bike.

"I've never been on one of these before," she said nervously.

He sighed. "Carol, do you want the goddamn job?"

"Of course I do!" She hissed, taking a step closer.

"Then get on the bike," he said, sounding like he was losing patience with her but he offered her his hand anyway.

Finally she took his hand and slipped on behind him, making sure that she was sitting heavily on the back of the skirt. She looked down, her hands on his shoulders. "I don't know where to put my feet," she mumbled.

He grumbled something under his breath and then, to her complete surprise, she felt his hands grip her thighs and pull them up higher so they were pressed more firmly against his own so her feet were where they needed to be. This probably wouldn't have been such a jolting thing if she hadn't been wearing a skirt and his rough hands weren't sliding against her bare skin. Then she actually cried out in surprise when he jerked her hard so her body slammed into his back.

He started the bike and pulled out quickly, giving her no choice but to wrap her arms around him. She hoped this wasn't going to be a long ride. She hadn't been prepared for this at all. She squeezed her thighs hard against his hips. One reason was because she didn't want the stupid skirt to fly up. The other reason was because her legs were instinctively trying to close.

This was completely humiliating. Her body was pressed so close to his and the vibrations from the bike were so hard that she was completely turned on. She couldn't stand this man but she would have been a fucking liar if she tried to say that she didn't want to climb around to the front of the bike, straddle the man the way a man was meant to be straddled and have her way with him. Over and over.

Her nerves were kicked up into overdrive. The smell of him invaded her senses, and then, to her complete horror, she realized that her hands were somehow inside his shirt and her nails were digging into tight muscles low on his stomach. She loosened her grip on him and then they crossed over some tracks, causing her to bounce against him. She took in a sharp breath and dropped her head between his shoulder blades.

Jesus Christ! If this ride wasn't over soon she was going to end up getting off right there. The thought had her face scorching but Andrea had been right. She hadn't been touched in a long time. A few agonizing minutes later they finally pulled into a wide lot and he killed the engine.

He sat there for a few seconds before he glanced over his shoulder. "You need to get off," he said, meeting her eyes.

She felt her eyes grow wide. Was it that obvious? Jesus! "What?" She barked.

He tapped her thigh lightly with the tips of his fingers. "Loosen your grip, woman, you ain't gonna fall off. You're holdin' on tight as a vice and I think you made me bleed."

"Oh," she squeaked, quickly climbing off of the bike. She kept her hands on the seat to steady herself. He climbed off and lifted the front of his shirt, looking down. Her eyes followed and she felt herself grow even more red. Sure enough there were small bloody crescents from where her nails bit into him right above his hip bones where the V led down into his pants.

"It'll heal. Lets go," he said turning towards the brick building.

She stepped away from the bike and then had to catch herself. Her legs felt wobbly.

"Do I need to hold your hand?" He snarked.

She narrowed her eyes. "Of course not," she mumbled, stepping towards him. They walked towards the doors and she had to admit that she was impressed when she stepped into the large show room. The whole wall in the front was glass, showing off an array of bikes. She felt his hand at the small of her back, giving her a small push forward. Her skin seemed to burn where he touched her and she cursed herself under her breath.

A man she'd never seen before came out from around the counter and she found herself stepping closer to Daryl as she took him in. He grinned as his sharp blue eyes swept over her. He was clad in black and his short cropped hair only added to his intimidating appearance for some reason. He looked between the two of them for a few seconds and then, out of the blue, he opened his mouth. "Did you two fuck?"

Carol's mouth popped open in surprise. He had to have been joking but he delivered the question in such a deadpan tone that she was sure he was asking a legitimate question. One she felt compelled to answer. "No, we didn't... do that."

He shrugged. "If you ain't then you want to. I know the look. I'm Merle," he added like it was an afterthought.

Daryl finally decided to chime in. "Cut the shit, Merle. Where the hell's Buck?"

Merle nodded towards the back but he was still looking at Carol. "So, six years, huh?" He wiggled his eyebrows.

"Merle," Daryl growled.

Merle didn't act like he heard Daryl at all. "That's a long time."

She narrowed her eyes. Why had Daryl had to tell this man about her being in prison? "Unfortunately for you, it wasn't long enough."

Daryl snorted as Merle's suggestive smile turned into a scowl. She felt Daryl's hand on her again, ushering her towards another door. She could hear him grumbling under his breath and when she stole a glance at him she noticed he was as red faced as she must have been.

"I gotta warn you, Buck is one scary lookin' mother fucker but he's harmless now days," he muttered as he led her down a hallway.

"What do you mean?" She asked in a hushed voice.

He shook his head and then opened a door, pushing her inside in front of him. She stopped in her tracks when the man turned around.

"You must be Carol," he said in a deep voice. He had a pleasant smile that probably would have put her at ease if not for his massive size. He seemed to take up most of the space in the small office. He was abnormally tall and muscled with long hair and a trim goatee that gave his appearance even more edge.

Daryl elbowed her and she snapped out of it, stepping further into the room and then offering him her hand. "You must be Buck," she said, forcing her voice to come out strong.

"That I am," her hand disappeared in his but his grip was gentle while still being firm.

She glanced at Daryl and she realized he was watching her closely, like he was waiting. She gave him a quick nod and then, without a word to his father, he stepped out of the room and shut the door behind him.


	13. Chapter 13

**Not the most exciting chapter in the world but it's one that was needed to move the story along so I'm posting early to get it out of the way. That and it's still raining and I'm still having internet issues so I would rather get it out early than not at all lol. Hope you enjoy this a little anyway. Thank you for reading!**

 **Chapter Thirteen**

Damon was a lucky guy. After everything that had happened to him as a kid, it hadn't managed to break him. He'd had his family and he'd used them like a cloak to fight off the pain and the dark feelings that had tried to envelope him. Sure, he had lost a lot the night that his parents were killed. But he hadn't lost everything.

That was the summer that Piper had become more than just his annoying cousin. She had become his best friend. Merle and Buck had been a constant source of strength in their own ways and Daryl, for the first few years after his parents were gone, had become the center of his world. Not one time, after he had gotten older, had he ever thought about using the loss of his parents as an excuse to do stupid shit. He could have. People would have shaken their heads and pitied him more than anything else, but the thought of letting his family down had kept any thoughts of escaping his pain at bay.

Pain was something that was going to be there regardless. He could pop some pills or shoot something up and maybe there would be a reprieve from it all but he'd eventually sober up and when he did, he would have to deal with the pain and also the knowledge that he let Daryl down and it wasn't worth it.

He was trying hard to understand this girl. He knew she had been through a lot and he tried like hell to try to remind himself that she didn't have the support that he had had, but it was tough. He knew what Daryl was going to try to do for her and he wanted to help as much as he could. As they walked down the hall to their lockers he decided that there was no time like the present.

"You gonna try to hunt Ron down?" He asked as she stopped.

She glanced up at him. "What makes you say that?"

"Because you're sober."

She grabbed the books she needed and then slammed her locker. "What the hell is it with you and Daryl? Why the hell do you think you need to insert yourselves into my fucking business? I never asked you to bring me to your house that night. You could have left me there. At least then I wouldn't feel like I'm being babysat."

Damon felt anger spike his blood but before he could say a word a familiar voice spoke up for him.

"Watch your fuckin' tone and stop acting like an ungrateful bitch. You talk to him like that again and I swear I'll make what I did to Blondie look like a slap on the wrist."

Piper went to step around him but he grabbed her and hauled her back. When Damon looked at Sophia she was glaring at them both. She turned on her heel and then stormed down the hall to her first class. Hopefully she didn't get to Ron before he could.

"Put me down, Ogre," Piper growled.

He did as she said, not having realized he'd lifted her off the ground. She didn't weigh anything at all though so this didn't surprise him. She rounded on him but he was one of the few people that didn't back down from her. "What?" He asked calmly.

She pointed down the hall. "We don't owe that fucking asshole anything. If she wants to get used up for dope then that's her fucking business, not ours."

"Daryl wants to help her."

They fell in step and she shook her head angrily. "She don't want it. I get where he's coming from, man. I really do. We all know about what he was, the shit Buck and Merle put him through, but that don't mean he has to fucking help her. She's exactly what I said she is. She's an ungrateful bitch."

"She's fucked in the head, Piper. She's not that bad."

"Yeah? Well if we hadn't shown up at that party then she'd prolly be fucked in the ass too but that didn't happen cause we played good guys and saved her. Didn't nobody shove drugs down her throat, Damon."

He was about to tell her that it didn't really concern her as they rounded the corner but his words died on his lips when he saw who was headed their way.

"And now you're about to get your ass in trouble for her ain't you?" Piper grumbled.

Damon smiled at Ron, who tried to pass him in the hall but he didn't have the chance. Damon's hand snaked out, grabbed him by the throat and then slammed him into the wall. Ron's friends, who knew Damon well, gave a wide birth and didn't even try to intervene.

"What the fuck, Dixon!" Ron choked.

Damon leaned into his face. "You seen Sophia Peletier this morning?"

Ron tried to shake his head but it was hard so he muttered a no.

Damon nodded. "When you do see her, I don't care where you are, you turn the fuck around and you walk away. I find out that you've given her anything, even if it's as innocent as a smile, I'll beat your goddamn face in so bad your mama won't be able to recognize you, you got that?"

Ron tried to push Damon's hand off of him but it didn't work. When, finally, Damon thought he had his point across he dropped the boy and raised an eyebrow at him. Ron nodded. "I won't talk to her. And why the hell do you care anyway? That chick's a fuckin' basket case. You're wasting your time fuckin' with her."

Damon didn't say anything to that because a small part of him believed it. Nobody was going to be able to help her until she was ready to help herself.

~H~

Sophia was having a hard time ignoring the stares and the whispers. She always had a hard time but it was worse today because she was completely sober. She felt embarrassed and usually she didn't feel that way. She never enjoyed the looks or taunts or whispers but at least when she was high she could shrug them off.

She didn't see Damon in the halls after classes and knew that she wouldn't until lunch but she lucked up and ran into Ron twice and both times he acted like she wasn't even there. He didn't say a word to her. He didn't even look at her. She had a feeling that this was Damon's doing and by lunch she was furious.

She found him with Piper and some blonde guy at one of the picnic tables in the yard. She stormed up to the table and he looked up, stopping mid chew. She felt the eyes of the other two on her also but she wasn't going to give Piper the satisfaction of giving her the evil eye. She'd ignore her just like she ignored everyone else.

"Can I talk to you alone?" She asked, trying hard to keep her voice even. She hadn't bothered getting a tray of her own. She was feeling sick. She refused to think that it was because she hadn't taken anything since last night.

He pushed his tray back, shared a loaded look with Piper and then stood up, gesturing towards a large tree that stood in the middle of the grassy space. His easy stride and the confident look on his face had her seething by the time they reached the tree and he finally looked down at her. "What's the problem?" He asked calmly.

"Did you talk to Ron today?" She asked, no longer trying to keep the anger out of her voice.

He nodded. "Sure did."

Sophia glared. He wasn't even going to try to deny it! "Didn't I make myself clear this morning? I don't need you interfering in my life. Mind your own damn business!"

He shook his head. "No."

She gaped at him. "What the hell do you mean, no?"

He shrugged. "I mean no. You start your job today at _my_ family's business. I'm gonna do what I can to keep you from going in there and making yourself look like a strung out loser. They're giving you an opportunity here and you aren't gonna fuck them over."

"You had no right to tell him not to talk to me."

He stared at her, his arms crossing over his chest. "You know, Piper was right about you. You're just a selfish bitch that don't give a damn about anything but yourself. Lucky you, the rest of the world ain't like that."

"Stop acting like you know me!" She growled.

He laughed and rolled his eyes. "Are you kidding? I'm the only one in this school that does know you. Do you have any idea what they say about you? Do you know that everyone here thinks you'll suck dick for pills. I'm the only one that knows that ain't how you are."

She flinched at his words.

"And that bothers you. You can act like it don't but it does. You've ruined yourself at this school. The least you can do is try to fucking gain back a little bit of self respect. You don't want to do it yourself so I decided to do it for you. They all know. If you end up with any pills today, I'll find out who gave them to you and I'll rip their fucking face off."

She didn't say anything else to him. His words hurt. She knew what people thought of her and she hated it but there wasn't anything she could do about it. She felt drained and sick and all she wanted to do was go home and... get high. But she couldn't do that. After this she had to go to that stupid bike shop and sweep floors and clean tools and the whole time she'd have to deal with Piper's fury.

She made it to the girls bathroom before she finally broke down. At least it was empty. She splashed her face with water but couldn't even stand the thought of looking at herself in the mirror. What in the hell had she done to herself? How could things have gotten so far out of her control? This was the longest she had gone in months without getting high and she didn't like how she felt about herself.

Maybe Daryl could help her. Damon was trying but he didn't understand. Somehow, Daryl did. She felt better when she was around him. Maybe today wouldn't be so bad once she got to the garage.


	14. Chapter 14

**Warning- This chapter could possibly shake up some of my more sensitive readers. To the rest of you, I hope you enjoy!**

 **Chapter Fourteen**

He dropped the wrench again and cursed to himself as he bent to pick it up. He couldn't concentrate. His focus, which was usually unshakable, was shaken. He grabbed a rag from the counter and wiped his hands off, turning when he heard the door open.

He growled to himself when she walked in with Buck. The man was speaking to her in a low voice. Buck didn't look up but she did, catching his eye and holding his gaze. His fingers started itching with the memory of the soft skin of her thighs under his touch. He'd had to clench his jaw and focus on anything but the way her thighs had pressed into him, the heat from her pressed hard against his back and then her goddamn hands drifting up his shirt just so she could sink her nails into skin.

He tore his eyes away from her, turning back to the bench and the job before him. He needed to get that shit out of his head right now. She was an insufferable bitch and he couldn't stand her. So what if she looked good. Lot's of women looked good and he'd tell himself now like he'd told himself a thousand other times. He didn't have the time or the energy to get involved with a woman. Especially one that was already complicating his life enough.

"I think you like her." Merle's taunting voice sounded in his ear.

He glanced over and shook his head, refusing to let his brother goad him into anything.

"Oh come on, baby brother, look at her. You know you want to slide between them legs of hers and-"

"Go fuck yourself, Merle," he growled, not needing Merle to put anymore ideas in his already fucked up head.

Merle sighed. "You need to get laid. You're like a fuckin' old lady. You never go out and do shit."

"Neither do you, dumb ass. It ain't easy when you're raisin' a kid."

"I know that but I still manage to get my dick wet every now and then, damn."

"And I don't like her either. She's a fuckin' smart mouthed know it all. She kicked me in the balls and she talks shit non stop and she gets on my fuckin' nerves. I'm doing her a favor and the sooner she gets the hell outta my hair, the better. You like her so much, you try to deal with her bullshit for more than five minutes."

He stiffened when he heard her behind him. "You know, I'm surprised it even hurt since it's obvious that you don't have balls big enough to talk that kind of crap to my face."

He glared at Merle, who was trying to hold in a laugh. Daryl thought that her and Buck had walked back out to the show room. That wasn't the case. When he turned around to face her he saw Buck out of the corner of his eyes, staring down at the two of them with his eyebrows raised.

"Say, Merle. Let's get back out there and wait for the kids," Buck said, offering Daryl a strange look.

Merle chuckled and pushed away from the work bench. Daryl watched as the two of them left him stranded with a pissed off woman. He shook his head.

"Don't start. You weren't suppose to hear that."

She crossed her arms over her chest, her eyes narrowed. "You know, this was your idea! If I'm so damn intolerable then why am I even here?" She threw up in her hands in exasperation.

He leaned against the counter and shook his head. "I told you before. You're here for your kid. No other reason." He almost felt bad but the truth was, he didn't owe this woman a damn thing and he truthfully didn't want her here. She complicated his otherwise simple life.

She shook her head, her eyes hard and angry. "This was a bad idea. You're the one that said that you could help her. Why the hell do I need to be here while you try? It's incredibly obvious that me being here is the last thing you need." She turned on her heel and before he knew what he was doing he gripped her arm, turning her roughly to face him again.

He glared at her. "Is that what you want? You wanna walk away and let somebody handle it? Maybe that's where she gets it from! Do you care about her at all? Cause it sure as fuck dont' look it from where I'm standin'!"

She rounded on him then and she would have hit him if he hadn't caught her wrist.

"Not again, Carol," he growled.

"Let go!" Her voice was frigid.

He loosened his hold, thinking that she would simply walk away but that wasn't the case. He heard the crack of the slap before he felt the sting of it. Before she had a chance to hit him again, which he was sure she was going to, he grabbed her hands and then shoved her hard into the counter. And he wasn't finished. He wasn't going to let that shit fly anymore. She was gonna learn to keep her goddamn hands to herself.

Right when she came at him he caught her by the waist, lifted her off the ground and slammed her ass right down onto the counter. He grabbed her hands and shoved them behind her locking them in place. She struggled against him and then her foot shot out. He dodged the blow and angled himself so she couldn't kick him. This put him right between her legs though, his body almost flush with hers.

As soon as he met her angry gaze he knew what she was going to do. She was about to break his fucking face with her forehead. Sure enough, a half second later she went for it. He moved his face away just in time and she hit his shoulder instead.

"Are you finished now?" He growled.

"Fuck you," she snapped and the crazy bitch did it again. Again he was able to dodge the head butt and then he angled his head so he was able to push hers back into the wall. It probably hurt her and he didn't give one goddamn at the moment.

He kept his forehead pressed against hers and kept a hard painful grip on her wrists behind her back. She surprised him when she locked her legs around his waist and then used her whole body to try to buck his away from her.

"Calm the fuck down!" His voice rumbled angrily.

"Let go of me," she snapped, sounding like an angry caged cat.

"No! You're gonna try to fuckin' hit me again and I'm done takin' shit from you."

She pushed into him again but he used his body to push right back. He finally did move his head off of hers as she struggled to gain a measure of control. Her breath was coming heavy next to his ear now. "Just let me go. I'll stop. I swear," she panted.

He pulled back just a few inches and then he yelled when he felt her teeth sink into the side of his neck. He had no choice but to let go of her hands because she was like a pitbull, her jaws locked. He reached up and grabbed the back of her hair and pulled hard. She cried out and he was able to pull her back enough so he could glare down at her. To his surprise there was a trickle of blood at the corner of her mouth. Her eyes were glazed with fury and he suspected that his matched hers. "You're gonna pay for that, I swear to Go-"

She shoved hard at his chest with an angry snarl and he did the only thing he could think to do. He returned the favor. He bit her shoulder but he wasn't as out of it as she was because he only did it hard enough to let her know that if she made one more move, he was going to make it hurt.

She finally grew still, whimpering slightly when she realized that he could be just as bat shit crazy as she was. Her chest rose and fell heavily against his own and she wasn't bucking against him anymore. He was breathing pretty heavy himself and his neck stung like a mother fucker. He still kept pressure on her skin, just in case. He didn't trust this fucking woman. Not at all. As soon as he let his guard down she was going to...

"Oh shit!"

Daryl felt his eyes go wide when he heard Damon's voice. He moved quickly, glancing over his shoulder towards the door. Damon grinned, a grin that looked like Merle's, and then shut the door. He swung his head back around, meeting her eyes. Hers burned into him.

"You finished?" She asked, her chest still heaving. She unlocked her legs from around his waist then, like she just realized the position they had just been caught in. There was no way in hell anyone would believe that they weren't in here messing around.

"Are you?" he snapped, angry because now he had to face his whole family with her teeth marks in his skin. He looked down and cursed out loud when he saw that her skirt was hiked up all the way to her hips and in the chaos that was where his hands had went. He didn't think a pair of plain cotton panties had ever looked so goddamn sexy in his life. Especially pressed up against him like that.

He backed away like she'd burned him and she quickly hopped down, fixing the skirt. She ran a hand through her hair and the flush that covered her pale skin had him forcing his eyes away from her. This was too much. He wasn't sure he was going to be able to do this. But he had to. It wasn't about him and this crazy woman, it was the kid. "Look, I'm sorry for what I said, alright? We gotta stop this shit or neither one of us are gonna be able to help her." There. That wasn't so bad.

She eyed him, her fingers playing over the bite mark marring her shoulder. He must have clamped down harder than he thought. "You bit me," she deadpanned.

His eyes widened. "You bit me first."

"Because you were assaulting me!"

He snorted. "Don't flatter yourself. I was keepin' you from hittin' me again."

"That was overboard," she crossed her arms over her chest.

"Wipe your mouth off," he snapped.

She wiped her mouth onto the back of her hand and looked down, her eyes growing wide when she seen the small smear of blood there. He tensed when she closed the distance, forcefully turning his head with her hand on his jaw. "Oh my God," she muttered. "What the hell is wrong with me? I didn't mean to do that."

"You're a psychotic bloodthirsty freak," he grumbled. He didn't move as her fingers lightly ran over the mark. When she let go of him he met her eyes, forcing himself to stay calm because he really just wanted to scream at her. "I get it, alright? You got dealt a shitty fucking hand. I know what your husband did to you. I know you got cheated out of bein' a mom and I know you had to learn to watch out for your own ass while you were locked up. But I'm not the bad guy. I'm not here to fuckin' fight with you and I damn sure wouldn't ever put hands on you. Every damn time I've had to touch you it was cause you were the one hitting me."

"I mean it, Daryl. I-"

He shook his head, holding up a hand to stop her. "Don't worry about it. We're stuck until your kid gets her head out of her ass. After that we can keep our goddamn mouths off each other." He cursed himself for wording it like that. "I mean we won't ever have to be around each other again."

She dropped her eyes. "I know what you meant," she said quietly. She shifted on her feet. Now that all of her anger was gone she was embarrassed. "Your dad said you were suppose to show me the books and stuff."

"Go ask Merle," he said, turning back towards the counter. "I got shit to do and I've honestly had about as much of you as I can stand today."

"Daryl?"

He felt his spine stiffen at the sound of her voice. He turned his head to look at her over his shoulder.

"I really am sorry about that."

He shrugged and turned around. "Just send Sophia back here. You're with Merle."


	15. Chapter 15

**Hello! Glad most of you were okay with that last chapter. I have to remind a few of you that Carol isn't a villain here. Daryl isn't either. She's a woman that spent a lot of years getting broke down by a man and then she spent six more years getting rebuilt within the walls of a prison. She's not going to be soft and loving after spending seventeen years going through one kind of hell or another. She reacts swiftly and violently because that's been her world for a while now. So no. Daryl isn't going to shrug her off and focus on nothing but Sophia. It wouldn't be a Caryl story if I did that. Even though there are times that she is a total dick and I myself wouldn't put up with her. lol So I hear you, but it can't work out like that! But I get why some of you would fee the way you feel at the moment.**

 **REMINDER! If you have any crazy awesome plans for New Years, please keep in mind that there are morons everywhere! Be careful out there!**

 **Chapter Fifteen**

Sophia looked up when her mom stepped through the doorway at the back of the room. She had seen Damon head back there but he had hightailed it right back into the showroom, his face red and his eyes wide. He was grinning but he had schooled his features quickly.

Sophia studied her mom with wide eyes. She looked incredible in a green dress that she'd seen Andrea wear before. There was a deep blush burning across her cheeks and her eyes were bright. When her eyes met Sophia's they instantly became guarded but she hurried over anyway.

"Do you have a jacket or a sweater I can borrow?" She asked hurriedly.

Sophia frowned. "It's like ninety degrees out there."

Carol nodded. "I know but this thing doesn't even have sleeves and the air conditioning is freezing me to death." There was a breathy quality to her voice.

Sophia didn't think it was overly cool inside but she shrugged and rummaged through her bag anyway. She pulled out a black hoodie with frayed sleeves and a laughing skull emblazoned on the back. She didn't think her mom would actually wear it but she took it and quickly put it on, zipping it up. It fit her snug but she didn't seem to mind.

"Wow," Sophia muttered.

"What?" Carol asked quickly, her eyes still wide and bright.

"You look kind of cool," Sophia said with a small smile.

Carol blinked and looked down at the zippered hoodie and then back up. She composed herself quickly and shoved her hands into the pockets. She snorted, "I am cool. Now, Daryl is back there. He wants you to go on back. I'm just going to let it be known right now that we got into a fight and he grabbed me and I bit him. I don't want to hear any snickers or whispers from any of you." With that she turned and headed over to a stunned looking man that was standing behind the counter.

Damon leaned down. "If that's what fighting looks like, I've been doing it wrong for a long time. I didn't walk in on a fight."

Sophia wasn't speaking to him but she couldn't help but give him a questioning look. He shrugged and followed Carol behind the counter. Piper was off on the other side of the room, rag in hand, polishing the already shining tank of a motor cycle.

She went through the door and saw Daryl doing something in front of a long work bench. He looked tense, even from here. "Hi, Daryl," she said, her voice laced with uncertainty.

He turned around and met her eyes for a few long moments and then nodded. "Hey, kid. Glad it's you and not your mom."

Sophia raised her brows and made her way to stand next to him. "She said you two got into a fight." She looked at his neck and grimaced at the wound. "You didn't..."

He glanced down and shook his head. "I won't hit a woman. Even one that deserves it."

"That's good. I don't think she means to be so hard on you. I think maybe men scare her."

He snorted and gave her an odd look. "Are you serious? I'm doubtin' that's the case, kid."

"It makes sense," she said, hopping up so she could sit on the workbench. "My dad used to beat her. I used to hide most of the time but I could hear it. I saw it a couple of times. Just out of the blue he would haul off and punch her right in the face, no rhyme or reason. She was always banged up and bruised. She was always scared."

He seemed to tense, his nostrils flaring slightly but he composed himself quickly. "I know that she's taken a lot of shit but I don't think that damn woman is scared of anything anymore. Least of all me."

"What were the two of you fighting about in here?" She asked. She wanted to keep him talking about her mom because it was better than talking about herself.

He looked over at her and shrugged. "Mostly you."

Well that backfired. She was quiet for a few minutes after that and simply watched as he worked quickly, putting something together. "Where did you learn to do that?"

He glanced up. "My ol man. Been workin' on shit like this since I was way younger than you."

"I don't even know how to change a tire," she said, her eyes taking in the large room. There were a lot of half finished bikes. They didn't look anything like the ones out in the showroom. They looked like junk.

"No shit?" He glanced at her, wiping his hands off on a red rag that he shoved into his back pocket.

She shook her head. "Come to think of it, I'm not very good at much of anything." She smiled slightly. "I'm totally lame."

He glanced over his shoulder before meeting her eyes. "Come here," he muttered, turning from the bench and strolling over to one of the bikes. She watched as he started poking around at what she assumed was the engine. "Everybody is good at least one thing. You tellin' me that in sixteen years you ain't found your niche," he shrugged lightly, "So what. Ain't nothin' wrong with that."

She shook her head. "I guess not."

He looked up, his hands still messing around with the bike. "Can you... play an instrument?"

She shook her head. "I love music, all different kinds, but I can't play anything."

"Me neither. But Damon can. That boy can pick up anything and know how to play it after just a few minutes."

"I didn't know that," she said as she watched him.

He nodded. "My old man is pretty good at this," he motioned towards the engine, "But he ain't as good as me. He's a business man, even though he don't much look like one. He's good with money. He built this place from the ground up about twenty three years ago."

"What about Piper?" Sophia asked, keeping her voice quiet.

"Art. The kid can paint, draw, sculpt. She's been at it since she was two. She's damn good."

"What's your brother good at?" She asked, feeling more and more at ease the longer he talked.

His face turned red and he shook his head. "According to him, everything. Trust me, the longer you're around him the faster you learn that Merle has, what people call, the gift of gab." He chuckled under his breath.

She thought about it for a second and then finally came up with something. "Writing. I can write. Songs and poetry. Stuff like that."

He nodded and the corner of his mouth came up. "See. We're all good at somethin'."

"You were a drug addict, weren't you?" She asked suddenly, feeling like she was ready to finally talk about it.

This finally had his hands faltering but he composed himself quickly. He seemed to take a second too long to answer but he finally nodded. "Yeah. I was about your age when I first got into that scene. Spent ten years fryin' my brain. I was in and out of rehab. My family didn't know what to do so they kinda just threw up there hands and waited for me to die. It was rough."

She could tell that he didn't want to talk about it but he was going out of his way to share something with her that maybe he didn't share with just anyone. She felt like maybe she should feel annoyed since she knew what he was getting at but she didn't. It felt good to have someone talk to her. "What made you do it? Drugs, I mean?"

His jaw clenched. "What made you do it?"

She shook her head. "I take pills every now and then. I'm not a drug addict," she said softly.

He snorted. "You're sick. You've gone without for one day and you're feelin' it. I can see it. You're not some seasoned addict like my ass was but you're on your way. Why did you start doin' it?"

She bit her lip. "Sometimes it felt like..." She shook her head and looked away. It wasn't something she knew how to explain. She was looking at his hands but she could feel his eyes on her and when she looked up the corner of his mouth turned up in a sympathetic smile. She looked back down at her hands and shook her head, unable to voice her reasons.

He nodded and his eyes turned back to the bike. "Sometimes it felt like the shit goin' through your head was bigger than you were." He said without looking up. "Your thoughts, all of them bad, all crammed into your head at once and it made you feel nervous. Made you feel like you weren't in control. And you didn't have anyone to talk to about it because nobody would understand how you were feelin'. The longer you kept your mouth shut, the bigger those thoughts grew until you just needed something, anything to drown them out. You were alone and you were afraid because you hurt and you didn't even know where the pain was coming from." His voice had grown lower and lower as he spoke, his hands still and his eyes far away.

She felt a lump in her throat at the overwhelming sense of relief that washed through her. He understood. She never thought anyone would ever understand. She didn't do what she did because she was bad, she just wanted the pain to stop. And he knew it. He had lived it. For the first time in longer than she could remember, she didn't feel alone anymore. Looking up and meeting his eyes and feeling, for the first time in a long time, that someone was really seeing _her_. "Yeah," she whispered, fighting the lump down and refusing to cry. "Maybe I felt that way because I missed my mom and I knew that it was my fault. I was the reason she did what she did. She spent all those years locked up and it was just because I existed. I felt..."

"I ain't gotta tell you that that's some bullshit, do I? Surely you're smarter than that."

She nodded. "I know it sounds stupid."

"Cause it is stupid. But that don't mean I don't get it. I blame myself for a lot of shit that wasn't ever my fault. I guess that just makes us both stupid, huh? Look, your mom did what she did. She stayed with the man and it ended bad and that's all on her. Her and him. But none it was about you."

"So you blame my mom for me taking pills?"

He shook his head. "Nobody is to blame for that but you. You made the decision to do what you did and then you made the decision to keep doin' it. That ain't her fault. It ain't your fucked up dad's fault. It's all on you. I don't like that damn woman, but I'll be the first to admit that, even though she's a psycho, there ain't nothin' she wants more than to be a good mom to you. She's been through a hell of a lot and she gets out and has this to deal with all this on top of it. Can't be easy for her either."

She bit her lip. "Can you show me how to do what you're doing?"

He glanced up and then back to the bike. "You wanna work on a motorcycle?"

She nodded. "It looks..." She shrugged. "Maybe I'll be good at it. Can I try?"

He actually grinned at her and she found herself grinning back. "You just tryin' to get out of pushin' a broom?"

She nodded. "Yes. But I've always wanted to learn things like this too. I've just never had a man around to do it. I bet Damon can fix an engine."

Daryl nodded. "Actually him and Piper both can."

"See. I can learn. If you guys are going to force me to be here then I might as well learn something. I already know how to push a broom."

He looked like he thought about it for a second but finally he nodded. She thought that he was going to show her whatever he was doing on the bike that he was messing with but he stood up and motioned for her to follow him. Along the far wall there was another work bench with parts scattered about.

"What's this?" She asked, looking up at him.

He grinned. "A bike."

She frowned. "This isn't a bike. This is a mess."

He nodded. "Yeah. It's a mess. It's a big goddamn mess. Just like right now you're little ass is a mess. But it won't be when we're done."

She looked at all the pieces and shrugged, stealing herself for the task that was going to transform one hell of a mess into something good. "Okay. Where do we start?" She was starting to feel a little excited. This would keep her mind off of everything else. This would keep her from worrying about what everyone else was thinking about her. If she couldn't have one escape then maybe she could have a different kind. And Daryl didn't look at her like she was a lost cause. And she knew that it was because he didn't think she was one. It was nice just to hang out with someone and feel comfortable.


	16. Chapter 16

**Hope everyone had a great New Year!**

 **I guess I have to address a guest review again. =/ I really hate that but I feel the need to defend the characters, and the story and since I can't message I have to bore the rest of you. So, here we go. Daryl doesn't give a damn about Carol at this point in the story. He isn't concerned with making her out to be the shining hero. He's concerned with letting a teenager understand that she wasn't to blame for her world falling apart. His point was, Carol made decisions and Ed made decisions and there wasn't anything that Sophia could have done to prevent what happened. He wasn't "victim blaming". I hate that term. Carol stopped being a victim in this story as soon as she killed her husband. But my point is, it isn't his job to make Carol look like a star. It's his job to ease the pain of a kid that is completely messed up in the head because of what has happened to her. Carol, at least my Carol, would rather him focus on Sophia because she wants a chance to be the best mom that she can be. And he even mentioned that. I'm sorry if he isn't handing things how you want him to handle them, but the man is winging it. All he wants to do is help the kid. Hopefully you enjoy whatever else this story brings.**

 **Anyway, sorry about that ^. Thank you for reading!**

 **Chapter Sixteen**

"This is a mess," Carol muttered as she looked over the invoices. "You have no system here at all."

"Make a system then," Merle muttered, his face buried in another magazine, his feet propped up on the counter as he leaned back in the chair.

Carol looked up and rubbed her eyes. She had been at this for hours and her eyes were starting to ache and she was starving. She did a double take. "Are you looking at... Is that a skin mag?"

Merle pulled the magazine down far enough so he could peer over it. "Yeah. Just came in today. You can give it a go when I'm finished."

Carol made a face. "I don't want to read a skin mag. That's disgusting."

Merle snorted. "Like you never dove into any muffs in the big house."

She tapped the papers on the counter and stuffed them into a folder before filing them away. "No, Merle. I never went muff diving. I'm straight. I was married and I have a daughter."

"I've met lots of lesbos that had kids."

She snorted. "I find it highly possible that they only told you they were gay so you would leave them alone."

He grunted and went back to ignoring her. She looked at the clock and groaned when she realized it was almost eight already. She had called Andrea and told her not to wait up so at least she didn't have to worry about that.

"I'm gonna go on and get Sophia and call it a night. I'll get the rest tomorrow," she said as she stood up and stretched.

"Alright. Go ahead and let my brother know I'll take his bike and leave my truck so he can get you both home."

She nodded. "Thank you. It was nice meeting you, Merle."

Merle stood up, frowning, a thoughtful look on his face. "Huh. I don't think anybody's ever said that to me before, jail bird. You ain't gotta use flattery. My brother wants you here so you done got the job. He don't ask the old man for many favors so when he does, Buck jumps."

She laughed. "He doesn't want me here, trust me. That man loathes me."

Merle raised a brow at her. "Well, maybe he don't wanna hang out with you or anything but he wants to fuck you. So you got the job."

Her mouth dropped open but she couldn't find any words. He grinned and then walked out of the building. It was dark enough that he disappeared in the gloom. She shook her head and turned the lights off, locking up before slipping into the back. She hadn't seen Daryl or Sophia since Sophia had given her the hoodie and she was curious to see what the two of them had been up to all this time.

She braced herself as she stepped into the large garage, ready to face dirty looks from both of them. She stopped in the shadows, her breath catching at the sight before her. They were both sitting on the floor, Sophia was watching him closely as he pointed something out on a hunk of metal that Carol couldn't even identify.

Sophia picked something up, some sort of tool, and went to work on the metal. When she was finished she looked at him expectantly. He leaned in and nodded and Sophia's face lit up with a smile so wide that it had Carol's breath halting. Her eyes were clear and that smile so genuine that Carol could have wept.

Daryl grinned right back, playfully ruffling her hair and causing Sophia to laugh as she swatted his hand away. They seemed to fall into easy conversation as he started pointing out more things. Carol could have watched them for hours, even though she was a little jealous. She wished she could have been the reason her daughter smiled like that, but it was still such a relief, that she would take what she could get. Her stomach rumbled then and she knew that they had to be just as hungry so she finally took a few tentative steps towards them.

Daryl noticed her first, looking up and meeting her eyes. There was no animosity there and she realized then that he was just as relieved as she was. For whatever reason, this man cared about her daughter and at the moment, that was all that mattered. It didn't matter that her and him couldn't be in the same room for more than a few minutes without literally going for each others throats. It didn't matter that he went out of his way to argue with her. It didn't even matter that her wrists were covered in bruises from the way he had gripped her earlier. What mattered was, he was doing what he said he would do. He was making a difference already.

"You finished?" He asked.

Sophia looked up then and to Carol's surprise she pushed herself up off the floor, walked right up to her, grabbed her hand and yanked her towards the counter.

Carol shook her head at Daryl. "Not finished yet. I don't think I'll ever be finished. It's so unorganized."

"Look," Sophia interrupted, pointing to the hunk of metal, her eyes filled with pride. "I did that. Well, he helped but I did most of that. Me! Can you believe it?"

Carol raised her brows. "That is impressive," she lied. It looked like something that you would find in a junk yard.

"You have no idea what it is, do you?" Sophia asked, that smile still in place.

Carol had no choice but to shake her head. "Well, no, but it looks nice."

Sophia laughed and Carol found herself closing her eyes, trying to commit the sound to memory just in case it was a while before she heard it again. "It's a fricken carburettor! And I _built_ it! And I even know where it goes and what it does and all the pieces that go inside. I could build another right now! I don't even need his help anymore."

Carol grinned, "That's amazing. That is much better than pushing a broom and scrubbing tools. But we don't have time for you to rebuild anymore parts. You have to be hungry. I'm starving."

Sophia's smile dimmed and then faded completely as she looked down at her shoes.

Carol turned frantic eyes on Daryl, who was watching them closely. He seemed to read her quickly and he nodded before he cleared his throat. "Damon's already home and it's late. I was just gonna stop and pick up a pizza or two if you two wanna just come to the house."

Sophia's eyes turned to Carol's, wide and pleading and so hopeful it tore at her heart a little.

Carol offered Daryl an apologetic look because she knew he really didn't want her around, but she wanted to hang on to this for as long as she could. She felt like her daughter was back. She knew that she wasn't. Not all the way. But this was such a huge thing and she wanted to savor it. "Thanks, Daryl. Merle said to tell you he took your bike and left you the truck so you could get us home."

He nodded and then the corner of his mouth turned up. "Let's get the hell outta here then."

The drive was quiet but it wasn't heavy or awkward. They all seemed to be tired and Carol knew that it was more than just physical exhaustion. Sophia, though seeming lighter, still looked ill. There were dark smudges under her eyes and she was pale and a little drawn. It worried her but she wasn't going to comment on it until she had a chance to talk to Daryl alone. He was the one that had been with her all day so he would be able to tell her if the girl was sick or not.

When they finally pulled into his driveway it was already after nine. She should have just had him drop them off at Andrea's but Sophia had seemed so sad at the prospect of the night ending. Now Daryl was going to have to get back out to take them home and he looked as tired as she felt.

They were greeted by Damon and Piper when they came inside and the red head didn't look happy about them being there. She smiled at Carol but it was stiff and she didn't even bother looking at Sophia.

"Dad wanted me home by ten so I'm takin' off," she said, pushing past them and heading towards the door."

Daryl frowned. "You ain't stayin'?"

She shook her head and just like that she was gone. Daryl stared after her, a troubled look on his face but he finally shrugged and hauled the pizza boxes to the kitchen, dumping them on the table and then grabbing paper plates from one of the cabinets.

"I'm in the middle of a movie. I'm takin' this to my room," Damon said, stacking four pieces of pizza onto his plate. "You still got that no girls allowed rule or can she go back there with me?"

Daryl eyed him. "Keep your door open."

"What if I promise that I won't do anything I saw you doin' today?" He grinned. "Nice hickey, by the way."

Daryl only glared and finally Damon turned, grabbing one more piece and elbowing Sophia on his way past. She followed him without a word.

"Some day I'm kickin' that kid's ass," Daryl muttered as he sat down heavily in the chair across from her.

She grabbed a slice for herself and smiled slightly. "You really should. Just to teach him a lesson. That is clearly a battle wound. It looks nothing like a hickey."

He grumbled under his breath, his face burning that familiar shade of red but he didn't comment.

"What did you do to her today?" Carol finally asked when it seemed clear that he wasn't going to offer up much conversation. Probably because every time they spoke they ended up in a physical altercation.

He shrugged and picked at the cheese on his pizza. "Just talked I guess."

"About what?" She asked, desperate to know what he knew.

He glanced past her and then met her eyes. "Later," he said in a low voice.

She understood then. He didn't want Sophia to think that he was relaying every word she said to him back to her mother. She sighed but waited a long time before she spoke again. Daryl seemed lost in thought anyway. "I wish she could talk to me."

He shook his head. "I'm an outsider. She don't feel like the shit she says to me is gonna cause me to judge her. It's easier to talk to somebody that you don't know that good. Sounds stupid but it's true."

She sighed heavily. "It doesn't sound stupid at all. You were right. I give you a few hours with her and she's... smiling. She talked to me. If it wasn't for the fact that I think she may be coming down with something, I would say today was a complete win, even if it had nothing to do with me."

He shook his head and swallowed quickly. "The sick look is a good thing too. She ain't had anything today. Damon threatened the boy that supplies her so she _can't_ get anything. It ain't for lack of tryin' though. She's still got a hell of a road in front of her but least this is a start."

Carol stared at him in disbelief. "Did you tell him to do that?"

"Nope. He's just a good kid. He wants to help her just as much as I do."

For all your faults, you have done an amazing job with that boy and you're doing so much for Sophia,"she said, staring at her food without seeing it.

"I got lucky. He was a good kid to start with. It ain't got anything to do with me," he muttered.

Silence prevailed after that. The kitchen felt too warm so she shed the hoodie and stood up. "You have anything to drink?"

He nodded towards the fridge. She had to pass him to get to it. On her way by she heard him curse and then she felt his hand on her arm, stopping her. She looked down, a question on her lips until she realized what had caused him to stop her. His eyes were on her wrists, his hand sliding down her forearm, turning it so he could see the under side. He looked up from under his brow as his thumb ghosted over the bruises he had left on her skin. He looked like he might be sick.

"Don't," she said in a near whisper. "I've had my share of bruises, Daryl. I earned these, remember? All you were trying to do was keep me from clawing your eyes out. I completely lost my head, not for the first time either. I meant it when I said I was sorry for what I did and I'll be damned if I have you feeling guilty for trying to keep me from hurting you."

He didn't drop her hand like she expected him to and his eyes still stayed on hers. "Anybody ever tell you that you bring out the worst in people?"

She offered him a smile. "Even if they had, I never would have believed it until I met you." She stayed where she was.

"For what it's worth, if I'd known I was doin' it that hard I woulda stopped and let you claw me up."

Damon cleared his throat from the doorway. "Oh, damn. That was way to much, man."

Daryl dropped her hand and she stepped away, feeling a blush work it's way up her chest to her face. The boy's eyebrows were raised as he looked between the two of them. Why in the hell did this keep happening to her?


	17. Chapter 17

**I seriously love you guys. You take the time out of your day to sit and read stories on this website, give advice, show your support, cheer on your favorite fledgling fanfiction writers and I think that's the shit. For real. I've been so lucky to have such a great group of readers.**

 **With that said, I really want to let you all know that I appreciate you reading these stories and opening your minds to different situations, like this one here in this AU. If I've offended any of you with the content of this story, I apologize now and thank you for sucking it up and keeping on with the story without logging out and leaving guest reviews about what a horrible person I am. I know that's immature as all get out but I left a reply for her at the end of this chapter. Please, if you're easily offended, don't read it. o.O I just really needed to let her know how I feel about her, since she went out of her way to let me know that she thinks I'm a total shit heel, and I still don't understand why. She didn't make much sense in her rant but it's whatever...**

 **Chapter Seventeen**

Daryl eyed the boy, giving him a warning look until Damon finally looked down at his boots. When he looked back up there was still a gleam in Damon's eye and a sly smile on his face but he didn't say anything else about what he had heard. Daryl was damn sick of the boy catching them in innocent situations that didn't look or sound innocent at all.

"Anyway, Sophia's asleep on the couch in my room. You wanna wake her up and send her packin' or can she just sleep here? Door open, I already know."

Daryl looked at Carol who instantly looked at him. She shrugged. "I sleep on a couch at Andrea's anyway so I guess it doesn't really matter if I sleep on a couch here."

Damon opened his mouth but Daryl silenced him with a look before he could say anything. He stood up and stretched, yawning loudly. "There's a spare bedroom down the hall and another finished room in the basement. You can sleep in one of those beds if you want."

Damon just looked confused now. He shook his head. "You two are fuckin' weird," he muttered and then walked away towards his room.

Daryl rolled his eyes. "You can wake Sophia up if you want. Whatever room you don't take she can have."

Carol shook her head. "Let her sleep. And thank you for the offer. Sleeping in a real bed sounds amazing."

She silently helped him clean up and then followed him down the hall after she called and left Andrea a message. He pointed to a door right across from Damon's. She peaked into the boy's room and smiled slightly before looking up at him.

Out of nowhere her arms were around his neck and he felt his entire body tense. For one horrifying moment he thought maybe she was going to bite him again but then he felt her lips next to his ear. "Thank you. For whatever you did today," she whispered.

The embrace was unexpected, and more than a little disconcerting, but he'd be a fucking liar if he tried to tell himself that it didn't feel good. He realized then that he hadn't been hugged by a woman in a long time. Not since June had died. She was the only one with the courage enough to even try. It had a strange warm feeling spreading in his chest that he tried hard to fight. He forced himself to relax into it. One arm went around her lightly, his hand resting at the small of her back.

So far most of their interactions had been so violent that he wasn't even sure what to say about this. She pulled away suddenly, looking embarrassed and she took a step back. "Anyway, I'll see you in the morning. I'll need to go back to Andrea's and get cleaned up and changed."

"We ain't gotta do anything too early. Buck and Merle are takin' the day shift and leavin' nights for us for a while." Why was his voice so fucking quiet? He cleared his throat.

She looked troubled when she met his eyes again. "Is that smart?"

He frowned. "I've ran that place on my own before."

"No, I'm not saying that you can't handle the job but is it smart for me and you to work together? Our track record, though short, is really bad. You make me want to strangle you."

He blinked and then he chuckled quietly. "Goodnight, Carol."

She smiled. "Goodnight."

He closed his bedroom door and sighed heavily, running a nervous hand through his hair. What the hell was he doing? Why had he invited her to spend the night? He could have easily woken the kid up and drove them to her friends house.

He stripped off his shirt and tossed it over the chair. He was working his belt loose when he happened to glance up in the mirror and paused. The marks she had left on him during their drive to the shop stood out on his skin. That had his mind drifting back to the garage and hind site had him clenching his jaw. The fire in her eyes as she tried to fight him off. The feel of her legs locking around him. Her body grinding against him as she fought to get free.

At the time he had been too pissed off to really think about it. Now he couldn't _not_ think about it. He was half tempted to go start another fight with her. It'd been a long time since he had even thought about being with a woman. He didn't need the complication and all of his focus needed to be on Damon. But Damon was damn near grown now.

Fuck. Now he had to deal with trying to go to sleep with a massive hard on. He stripped out of his pants and turned off the light, crawling in bed grumbling under his breath about the woman that put him in this situation. How the hell could someone that pissed him off as bad as she did also have him growling into his fucking pillow trying to ignore his over eager dick?

~H~

It hadn't taken her long to fall asleep but she hadn't been able to stay that way. She dreamed, and it was a vivid one. It was a replay of what had happened earlier at the shop except her anger had turned into something else once he slammed her down on that counter.

She sat up in bed, her heart pounding hard in her chest as she squeezed her thighs together. She was sweating and her breathing was coming in quick little pants. She'd been so close in that dream as his thrusts grew harder and harder, his eyes dark, sweat trailing down his torso, his mouth claiming hers almost angrily...

She dropped back down, her head hitting the pillow hard and an actual whimper escaping her as she tried squeezing her legs together harder to relieve the pressure. If the dream had only lasted a minute longer she would have found that release. What in the hell had she been thinking, staying all night here? He was right at the end of the hall. Maybe she could just crawl in his bed and...

What the hell was she thinking now?

She rolled over, punching the pillow angrily and willed herself to fall back to sleep. She was grateful and she was thankful for what this man was doing for her daughter but she did not like Daryl Dixon. He was infuriating. He was rude. He got a kick out of making her feel bad. She did not want to have sex with him. She was going through an emotional time and her body and her mind were in overdrive and he just so happened to be there while it happened.

Besides, he didn't like her either. Even if she did want to pursue some sort of physical relationship, just to get it out of the way, he would never go for it. He couldn't stand her and he didn't even try to keep it secret. He openly loathed her and that was just fine.

She reached up and ran her fingers over the spot on her shoulder where his teeth had sank into her skin. It hadn't been hard. Not the same way she had bitten him. Heat flooded her body again and she rolled over to her other side, pulling the blanket up to her chin and forcing her eyes closed. She would feel okay in the morning. She wouldn't be thinking about how perfectly his body fit between her legs or how her clothes still smelled like him or how, even though his hands had been rough and had even marked her skin, she hadn't been afraid he would really hurt her.

She growled into the pillow and flopped over onto her back. She stared up at the ceiling until finally, she fell asleep. Despite telling herself that she didn't want him, she dreamed of him again. And this time she didn't wake up right before it was over.

She got up, longing for a shower, right after daybreak. She didn't feel comfortable doing it, since it wasn't her house, so she hunted until she found the coffee and started a pot as she sat at the table, trying to calm her racing thoughts. Once the coffee was ready she grabbed the biggest mug she could find and filled it up before slipping out the back door.

She was surprised to discover that the backyard had a path that wound through a flower garden. She knew that this wasn't the work of either of the Dixon men that now lived in the house. It must have been Damon's mother, June, that had spent so much time out here. She felt a heavy sadness settle in her chest for all that they had lost. It looked as though maybe they tried to take care of it but they weren't very good. The flowers needed pruning and it was in need of a good weeding and some new mulch.

She sipped the coffee and pulled her knees up to her chest, taking in her surroundings. At the edge of the back yard was the woods. She imagined Daryl would spend a lot of time out there when he had it to spare. He smelled like the woods. He reminded her of the outdoors for some reason.

It felt nice just to sit out here and take a few minutes to enjoy the morning alone. She had the opportunity to walk outside if she wanted and that was something she was still getting used to. She smiled to herself. There was a whole lot that she still had to get used to.

 **(My reply to the guest reviewer that thought it was cool to throw a couple of fits) Let me clear something up. I'm not going to sit here and pretend to know what it's like to be a victim of domestic abuse. My ex boyfriend got in my face one time. Once. And his ass got knocked out. A few years later the same guy tried to pull the same crap and so I took a deep breath, counted to ten, and then I stabbed him in the leg. So, no. I would never know what being a victim of abuse is like. But I would never say anything negative to a woman that was a victim of abuse. Not every female is going to fight a man... or stab them... whatever. I am aware of that. This fucking story isn't about that. The fact that you mention THREE abuse victims in this story tells me that you didn't pay any damn attention until something you wanted to blow out of proportion caught your damn eye! Daryl isn't abused in this, so thank you for being such an observant reader. So you went looking for an excuse to rant about some stuff that is so minor in this story, just to stir the shit pot. I don't like drama. I don't like people that want to create conflict for no other reason other than having something to do to ease their boredom.**

 **A part of me hopes you stick to your word and stay the fuck away from my stories, because you won't be coddled. I am not "politically correct" and I'm not here to throw any pity parties or treat anyone with kid gloves. We're suppose to be adults. So, by all means, go read something better suited for your delicate sensibilities because I'm not the writer for you. People like you, people that thrive on controversy and drama that try to validate yourself by how many times in a day something can offend you, are the reason I stopped posting for so long in the first place. Trust me, you haven't taught me a lesson, other than how to not be an overly sensitive asshole. I don't feel shamed or belittled by your narrow minded, man hating bullshit. You strike me as the type that is too selfish to understand that Daryl is trying to help a child in this story. You accuse me of blaming abuse victims for not leaving their abusers through how** ** _I_** **had** ** _Daryl_** **react in this story. So, when I write smut and Daryl has sex with Carol, does that mean it's a reflection of my own Carol lust? Are you serious? You... You're a bit batshit, aren't you? I mean, come on! My characters can't have opinions or beliefs separate from mine? When I write, am I Daryl? What does that even mean, lady!**

 **You're the type that most likely expects every victim to play the victim card at every turn, something that Carol would never do, not in this story and not on the show. You assume I don't understand the characters and that's okay. It's your opinion. But the Carol I'm writing doesn't need to be patted on the head and baby talked just because of what she went through. The women that I know that have gone through it wouldn't want to be treated like that either. Review me again and it'll get deleted before I can read past the first whining paragraph. Seriously, leave me alone to write the stories I want to write. Now I'm done.**


	18. Chapter 18

**So, I tried to respond to reviews, because you guys have no idea how awesome I think you are, but I couldn't get the pm screen to load. Just know that I appreciate the love, especially since I basically showed my ass in that AN. I was actually worried about negative backlash. I'm trying to work on my anger issues though. lol**

 **Albie, I'm actually very glad you brought this up because I am so guilty of this myself, without even meaning to be! I promise to go through and make sure I'm not ignoring the Carol and Sophia relationship in later chapters. I know that I've done that exact thing in other stories!**

 **Chapter Eighteen**

When Daryl got up that morning he made a conscious decision. He would help the kid. He would work with Carol. Other than that, he was done. He didn't want to make small talk with her. He didn't want to fight with her. He didn't want to be her friend. He didn't want her on his bike or in his house. He didn't want her hugging him. He especially didn't want that.

Last night, after he had gone to bed, alone, had fucking sucked. He wouldn't have a repeat of that. He wouldn't be mean to her and he wouldn't try to start anymore fights with her. He was doing what he was doing because the kid needed him. That was it.

He had grown to grudgingly respect the woman in the short amount of time he had known her. Life had dealt her a hell of a shitty hand. She'd suffered physically and mentally and emotionally and then she was basically cheated out of six years of her life because of a failed system, and yet, she didn't seem to let those facts keep her down. Oh, sure, she had some issues, who the hell wouldn't given her circumstances? But she was strong as fuck and he liked that about her and he didn't want to like anything about her at all.

He didn't need to lie in his bed and think about her. He didn't need Damon getting attached to a woman that wasn't going to be around very long. Better to distance himself, and the boy that he was responsible for, from her now. The chances of that deep respect he had for her turning into something far more complicated were high. And that wasn't smart. He already wanted her. Wanted her like he'd never wanted anyone in his whole life, and that was a bad thing. A very bad thing. So he'd start the process of keeping her at arms length today. He'd answer whatever questions she had for him at work. He'd talk to her about her daughter when he needed to. Other than that, he was finished. No more sleepovers. Definitely no more goddamn sleepovers.

He showered quickly, ready to get her back to her friends house and the hell away from him. The smell of coffee had him halting in the hallway outside of Damon's room. He glanced in. Sophia was curled up on Damon's couch, her back to the open door and Damon was sprawled out in his bed. He cursed under his breath, knowing that Carol was up already.

He didn't find her in the kitchen but noticed right away that the back door was ajar. He helped himself to a cup and then went to the door, pulling the curtain back and looking down. She was there, sitting with her back to the banister, her long legs stretched out in front of her, her bare feet crossed at the ankles. The way the early morning sun hit her skin she seemed to be fucking glowing and there was a small smile on her lips as she stared down into her cup, her fingers running over the rim absently.

"Fuck," he muttered when every decision he had made upon waking up seemed to turn to dust and blow away.

She looked goddamn beautiful and he hated thinking so. He hated that that was the first word that ran through his head when he looked at her face this morning. He wanted to feel annoyed. He wanted to feel pissed off that she was sitting on _his_ porch, drinking _his_ damn coffee out of _his_ favorite cup. Instead, he felt happy that he would be able to go out there and talk to her. He felt amused that the large mug looked even bigger with her smaller hands wrapped around it. He was glad that she was here and it fucked with his head because he desperately wanted to hate her.

He stepped outside, his eyes scanning the back yard before they lowered to hers. For some reason her eyes widened and she blushed a deep shade of red. He looked down just to make sure he had remembered pants but he couldn't see anything that would cause her to look like that.

"Morning," she finally said, smiling through the blush.

"Mornin'," he grunted, waiting for her to move her feet so he could sit down. She pulled them up, her arms going around her knees. What she must have forgotten was the fact that the dress wasn't long and if he moved his head over just an inch, he could have gotten another eyeful of her underwear.

He stared off at the yard instead.

"So, when do we start?"

He glanced over, buying himself some time with the coffee for a second. "Three."

"So we have the whole day. I'll go wake Sophia up soon so you can get us back to Andrea's. I know you don't want us around here cramping your style all day."

He looked at her but he was finding it hard to meet her eyes after what he'd done last night. He'd had to get himself off just to get to sleep. Visions of her writhing under him on that goddamn work bench...

"Are you blushing?"

He scowled at her. "Are you?"

Her smile slipped away and she looked back out towards the garden. She was acting like she was the one that had had to... a vision of her working herself over in the guest bedroom just feet away from his own room had him standing up quickly.

"I got a couple things I gotta get done. Maybe we should get her up now so I can get it over with."

She stood up too. "Okay. The sooner I can get in a shower the better. I feel dirty."

His teeth clenched at that. He'd show her dirty. He'd show her dirty for fucking hours... What the fuck? Seriously?

She went for the door knob but the door swung open before she could open it herself. Damon was standing there with Sophia, both looking squinty eyed and sleep deprived. Carol looked up at him then. "I'm gonna go make that bed and then we can go."

"We should go out for breakfast. I'm starvin'," Damon said before they could even make it inside.

"Eat cereal," Daryl muttered, stepping past the boy.

Damon grumbled and headed back down the hallway while Sophia sat down in one of the kitchen chairs. She folded her arms and laid her head down. She looked rough but Daryl expected her to.

"You look like shit," he said as he took the chair across from her. They had talked a lot about what she was on, how long she had been on it, and why she needed to get the hell off of it. He knew damn good and well that she was putting on one hell of a show. She seemed to want to straighten herself up and really, she only had months under her belt so the road ahead of her didn't really have to be a long one if she tried hard enough. He'd had it a lot worse. He'd had a lot of years.

"You're rude. Are you sleeping with my mom?" She asked, suddenly lifting her head and watching him closely.

He felt his eyes grow wide and then he snorted, shaking his head. "Hell no! She's a... We don't even like each other."

Sophia nodded. "That's what I told him."

"Who?" Daryl knew damn good and well who but he was just making conversation.

"Damon thinks there's something going on. He said you didn't get bit because you were fighting. He said he saw you two-"

"You ready?" Carol asked as she breezed back into the room.

"Yep," Daryl said quickly, standing up.

"No," Sophia grumbled.

Carol gave her a questioning look. "Why do you hate it there so bad?"

Sophia shrugged and stood up. "I'll grab my bag and wait in the truck."

They watched her walk out, neither saying a word until the front door closed. Finally Carol looked at him. "I know that Andrea was good to her while I was gone. Why the hell does the thought of going back there seem to drain what little joy she's managed to gain in the last day?"

Daryl stood up. "Cause she feels like for the past six years, that was her own kind of prison. She was scared to death the day she moved in. I think a lot of that fear stayed with her. She ain't stupid. Your friend didn't ask for a ten year old kid to be shoved on her. She took care of her, sure. She gave her a roof over her head and clothes on her back but I doubt she was able to give her what you could have. That house reminds her of the shit she lost when you went away."

She chewed on her lip, troubled eyes staring at the door that Sophia had disappeared through. "She told you that?"

He shook his head. "Not exactly but it wasn't hard to figure out after talkin' to her for a while yesterday."

"I don't know what to do," she said, finally looking up at him, pleading. "What the hell am I suppose to do?"

He sighed, hating that look in her eyes. He'd rather see the fire he'd seen there the day before. But that wasn't smart. That wasn't smart at all. "I'm doin' what I can."

"I know, and I appreciate it. But I should be able to do something."

"You are."

She shook her head. "I'm handing her over to you. I'm not doing anything."

"You got a job. Get her out of that house. Show her that you want the same damn thing she wants. It all boils down to you. She wants a family. And those are her words, not what I read between the lines."

She took a deep breath and nodded, that steel returning and causing the corner of his mouth to turn up without him telling it to. She grabbed the hoodie from the back of the chair and put it on. He raised a brow. "I don't want to have to explain anything to Andrea. It's bad enough they all think we're doing it. I don't want her thinking the same thing."

"Doin' it? What are you, twelve?" He grumbled.

"Fine, Daryl. It's bad enough that they all think you threw me up onto the work bench at the garage and fucked my brains out. You happy now?" She kept walking but her words had him frozen to the spot, a scowl on his face. If she only knew that that was exactly what he was imagining last night then she wouldn't have just said that.

Goddamn, he wished she hadn't just said that. He shook his head and followed her to the door, his eyes following the sway of her hips.


	19. Chapter 19

**Chapter Nineteen**

Sophia scooted further down in the seat as they neared the house. Her mom and Daryl were acting weird. They didn't really look at each other and the few times they did they both turned red faced and looked away. She was sure that there was something going on but they both thought it was better to just ignore it. Sophia thought that was pretty stupid. It was obvious that they wanted each other. That was why they fought so much.

"When do you think we can move?" She asked suddenly as soon as he turned onto their street.

Carol turned, meeting her eyes. "As soon as I can afford to we'll go apartment hunting."

Sophia wanted to bring up the fact that Daryl and Damon had two extra rooms that weren't being used and it wouldn't hurt for the guys to make a little extra money by renting out the rooms. She figured now wasn't really the time to bring that up though. They were totally weird.

Not to mention she felt like she might be sick. This thought scared her. Daryl told her that it was because she didn't have any drugs in her system and she was physically addicted. Her body thought that it needed the pills now and she was half tempted to try to get some just to make the sick feeling go away. Not even enough to get her high. But she didn't want to do that. She was going to try to devise a plan and she needed to keep her wits about her to do it. Her mom had been through so much and even though Sophia was basically making her mom's life a whole lot worse than it had to be, it didn't mean she didn't love her. She wanted her mom to see that Daryl really was a good man. She just had to give him and chance.

Other than the physical ailments that seemed to plague her with her new found sobriety, her head felt clear. Maybe a little too clear. It was easy to treat people like crap when you didn't feel anything. Now she was feeling things and she did feel bad. She had talked to Damon last night about it and he was supportive. It was so stupid because she hadn't known him long at all, days really, but he was probably the best friend she had ever had. He seemed to care about her and she wasn't used to that.

And now she was going to have to face Andrea and she really didn't want to. For one, being in that house seemed to drain her emotionally. She would never forget the first day that she stepped foot in the door. She had felt so incredibly alone. And that feeling had stayed with her. She still felt it, even now.

"I'll pick you two up close to three," Daryl said, his voice low as he pulled into the drive.

Sophia swallowed hard. "Maybe you can come early and we can grab some lunch before we go in?" She hated that she sounded so desperate but truthfully, she was. And if she could get Daryl and her mom to spend more time together, maybe they would see that they actually kind of liked one another.

He looked up in the mirror and then him and her mom shared a long look before her mom nodded slightly. He turned in his seat, his eyes meeting hers. "Noon sound good?"

Her eyes flicked to the clock on the radio and she nodded eagerly. Four hours. She only had to be here for four hours and then he would come pick her up. She could do that. Then she had the day to look forward to. He was going to show her more and she was excited. She would get to spend a few extra hours with him and her mom and Damon and she would be able to feel normal.

"I'll be in in a second. Save me some hot water, okay?" Carol smiled.

Sophia figured they were going to talk about her but she didn't care. As long as they were talking. She nodded and then hopped out of the truck, making a beeline for the house without a backward glance.

~H~

Carol waited until Sophia was in the house before she turned to him. She felt horrible. He had been in a hurry to get away from her and now he was agreeing to have lunch with them just to make her daughter happy. It was growing increasingly hard to hate this man, though she desperately wanted too.

"Daryl, after everything you've done already, you don't have to take us out. I already owe you more than I can ever pay you back and I know that spending time with me isn't something you want to do."

He held her gaze for a long time. "It ain't that big of a deal."

"I could stay here and you can just take her," she suggested quickly.

"You don't get it yet, do you?" His troubled eyes shifted to the door.

She frowned. "Get what?"

"That this all boils down to you. I'm just a buffer."

Carol smiled. "Well, it seems to me like I got no where with her fast and you seemed to bring her right out of her shell. You are becoming a lot more than a buffer."

He looked uncomfortable so she went for the handle and was going to go ahead and let him leave but he grabbed her hand. "Watch her. She ain't better and you need to remember that. She might try to take off if the craving gets too bad or she starts to feel even sicker." He glanced down and then dropped her hand quickly.

She nodded and as soon as he was looking back towards the house she quickly leaned in and pressed her lips to his cheek. Only... he'd turned his head so her lips landed right at the corner of his mouth. She pulled back quickly, her eyes as large as his. "Oh God! I didn't mean to do that," she said quickly. "That was suppose to be your cheek, not your mouth." She felt like she was going to die from embarrassment.

He seemed to take a moments to gather his thoughts and then his eyes finally cleared and he shrugged. "I'll take that over getting bit. I'll see ya later."

She nodded, thankful that he wasn't going to make a big deal out of the fact that she basically just kissed him. She also didn't miss it when his tongue darted out over the spot her lips had been. She swallowed hard and nearly ripped the handle off the door to escape. She was starting to think that she wouldn't need any of that hot water that she had told Sophia to save her. The image of that quick tongue was going to be embedded in her mind for the rest of the day.

~H~

"Goddamn it," he growled as he pulled out of the drive and headed back towards home. "Fuck, fuck fuck." What the hell was he doing?

He stomped on the break and slammed the door to the truck so hard that he was surprised the glass didn't break out of it. He wasn't surprised to see Piper when he stepped inside.

"Dad came to get his truck but you were gone," Piper called over her shoulder as she headed to the kitchen.

He grunted in response and this got the girl's attention.

"What the hell is your problem?" She asked as she rummaged through the fridge.

He shook his head and glanced up when Damon stepped into the room, his long hair still dripping. He'd tried to talk him into cutting it a thousand times over the last couple of years but he wouldn't budge.

"They get home okay?" Damon asked in passing.

Daryl nodded. "Yeah but we're pickin' them up again at twelve. Figure we can get some food or somethin' before we go in this afternoon."

Damon and Daryl both jumped at the sound of the fridge slamming shut. Piper turned around, her eyes narrowed. "You're fucking kidding me, right?"

Daryl shook his head. "No but if you want you can come too. What the hell is your problem?"

"That junky fuck is my goddamn problem!" Piper spat. "Why the fuck are you two tryin' to bend over backwards for that girl? She's a lost cause. She don't want your damn help and have you forgotten one very important fact about those two? The woman is a fucking murderer! She stabbed a man over thirty times! It's no wonder the girl is a goddamn drug fiend."

Daryl couldn't claim to have a whole lot of patience for people but for Piper, he seemed to have a reservoir of it stored somewhere. "You're out of line, Piper," he said in an even tone.

She shook her head. "No I'm not. You don't do this. It ain't you. Why do you feel like you need to pull them into our lives? At least tell me that the bitch is putting out. I hate to think you're doin' all this and ain't even getting your dick wet in return," she yelled.

"Oh snap," Damon muttered as he leaned against the counter.

Daryl glared at the girl but she didn't seem bothered in the least. "You finished, Merle? You gonna stomp your little foot now and start throwin' shit around?" Daryl asked, that calm slipping away quickly in the face of her irrational anger. "That woman did somethin' that you woulda done your damn self if your family was about to get hurt. You gonna fault her for that then fine. Go ahead and sit on that pedestal of yours and judge all you want. And as for the kid, it ain't a fuckin' secret why I'm helpin' her and you know it. Maybe if you'd stop bein' a little snot nosed brat, you'd see that there's a lot of goddamn good in not bein' a selfish piece of shit. Seein' how you were raised by two, it don't surprise me much that you'd throw a goddamn fit over me tryin' to be a decent person."

"Now who's out of line, asshole? I'm not judging them, I'm stating facts! All they are gonna do is screw your life up with their bullshit that has nothing to do with you! I'm trying to look out for you!"

He sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "Piper, you need to stop. Ain't none of this have a damn thing to do with you. You ain't stuck here. If Damon had a problem with it then I'd step away. He don't have a problem with it. I can't drop somethin' just because you don't think I should give a damn."

She glared at him but he didn't look away. This girl was way to used to getting her damn way and it was high time somebody put her in her place. It had nothing to do with her worry over him and Damon. It was the simple fact that him and Damon had something going on in their lives that didn't involve her. She was enough like her daddy to let something like that get under her skin. "So, what? You expect me just to be nice to that girl? After how she acted towards Damon?"

Daryl shrugged. "Do whatever you wanna do. But you can throw as many fits as you want and it ain't gonna make a damn difference either way. Get used to them. They ain't goin' anywhere."

She shook her head and sat down across from him. "This is fucking bullshit."

"Yeah, maybe. But it's bullshit that's in my lap. Stop worryin' about it."

 **This was actually hard to write because I do love Piper a lot. But she is worried and and she's obviously jealous and... She's Merle's daughter so she acts accordingly. Hope you liked the chapter anyway!**


	20. Chapter 20

**Filler Warning! Hope you enjoy it anyway!**

 **Chapter Twenty**

Lunch that day proved to be odd. Daryl spent most of his time talking to Sophia and Carol had spent most of her time talking to Damon and no matter what, Piper wouldn't be pulled into any conversation at all, no matter how hard Carol tried.

She was a lot more comfortable today. Jeans and a bohemian peasant blouse. She had even asked Buck about the dress code to make sure. She also borrowed an assortment of bracelets to hide the bruises that covered her wrists. Daryl had looked her over when he had picked them up and then mumbled something about hippies but he didn't seem to be in a bad mood so she let it slide. She felt a little strange covering up bruises that she had gotten from a man. She never thought that she would have to do anything like that again. He had felt bad about them though. He hadn't meant to leave marks on her and he got the worse end of that deal with the angry mark on his neck.

Now they were back to work and things were coming along nicely. Merle wasn't there but that was okay. He hadn't really bothered showing her much anyway. He would just point to things when she had a question. She was figuring it all out on her own, which almost made it easier.

A few times she had to go in the back and ask Daryl questions and he proved to be a lot more efficient than Merle. He was acting different today. He wasn't openly hostile anymore but he kept his distance and he only spoke to her when she had something to ask. He mostly worked with Sophia and today he actually did make the poor girl clean tools. She didn't seem to mind and Damon was there with them. She knew that Piper was in the building somewhere but wasn't sure what the girl's job was and Piper hadn't made an appearance since she clocked in after they got there.

Carol was surprised to see a familiar face when the alarm over the door rung. Andrea grinned at her and there was something about the look that had Carol groaning inwardly. Andrea had been thrilled by Sophia's demeanor that morning but this wasn't the grin of someone thrilled about something. This was the grin of someone that needed a favor.

Suddenly another person stepped through the door and the look in Andrea's eyes had Carol shaking her head. There was a man with her and right away Carol didn't like the looks of him. He was clean shaven and wearing a suit and tie. He smiled but Carol didn't return it.

Maybe it was because she had spent so much time in prison, learning how to not trust authority. Something about this guy screamed authority. Her distrust must have shown on her face because suddenly there was a voice right beside her and Andrea's eyes grew hard.

"He ain't here to arrest you, is he?" Daryl asked quietly.

She looked over to give him a dirty look but he actually looked a little concerned. She shook her head. "I don't know who the hell that is," she muttered, trying to smile through her nervousness.

"Well, if you need me just yell," he said, turning quickly to head back into the back.

"Daryl!" She hissed, for some reason not wanting him to go anywhere.

He glanced over his shoulder, flashed her a disarming grin and then disappeared behind the door. She longed to follow him to get away from the duo coming towards her, which made her feel bad because one of them was her best friend.

"What are your plans for dinner?" Andrea asked, causing Carol to turn back around and face them. Daryl had already disappeared.

Carol raised an eyebrow at her and then shrugged, avoiding the man next to her. "I haven't asked Daryl or the kids what they wanted. Last night we picked up a pizza. I guess tonight we'll pick up something else. We're open until eleven tonight."

Andrea made a face and glanced at the man next to her. "Oh, how rude of me. Carol, this is Melvin Silverstein. He came all the way from Atlanta to talk to me about a possible position opening up in his firm."

This finally cracked through that uncomfortable feeling she'd had when she had seen them come in. She smiled and offered the man her hand. His hand shake was weak but his eyes were calculating. "Nice to meet you."

"And you," he said, straightening his already straightened tie.

Andrea cleared her throat. "We were going to go have dinner and I was thinking maybe you could get out for a bit. It doesn't seem to be too busy and I'm sure that man can handle any customers."

"Actually, that man, has a lot of work to do in the back," Carol said dryly. "He can't very well build motorcycles and take care of customers and the phone and get the inventory organized. This is my first real day on the job. I can't leave." She wasn't sure exactly what Andrea was up to but she was sure there was a reason she was here and she wasn't happy about it.

Andrea gave her a look but Carol held firm, shaking her head slightly. Andrea nodded. "Well, maybe another time then," she said quickly, turning to the man. "Are you ready?"

They said their goodbyes, the man shook her hand again and then they were gone. She had no idea what that was even about but she still felt uneasy about that look that Andrea had given her. The woman knew for a fact that there was too much going on for her to have anything else piled onto her plate.

~H~

"That's what I'm talkin' about," Daryl muttered as he examined the tools that Sophia had just cleaned. "That's the point of a job. Even the bullshit things that you really don't wanna do need done right. These things look brand damn new."

Sophia grinned and tried to scrub the grease off her hands with the rag he had handed her. "I don't really mind cleaning the tools. Now that I know what they're actually used for, I kind of want to make sure they're taken care of." It was true. She had never had a job before but just after one day she felt like it was important to do the best job she could.

"I never minded cleanin' tools either," he muttered, hanging up a set of wrenches on their pegs. "The things I don't like is house cleanin'. I also don't like cookin' too much. Scrubbin' toilets and shit. I'd rather clean tools any day."

"So you don't like being a house wife?" She asked, her eyes sliding over to where Damon was bent over an engine. He'd been working on the other side of the garage on his own project for most of the afternoon.

Daryl shook his head. "Hell no."

"I remember how mad Ed would get about the house when I was little. My mom was always scrubbing something but no matter how hard she worked, it wasn't ever good enough."

He nodded. "Some people are like that," he muttered matter of factly.

"You're not. I messed up a lot last night when you were showing me how to work on that carburettor but you didn't get mad at all. Even when I messed up right after you told me what to do."

He shrugged. "I got my own flaws. I guess bein' a bully ain't one of them. Getting pissed off woulda just made you nervous and then you woulda kept fuckin' up."

"You get mad at my mom a lot."

He snorted and glanced up, meeting her eyes briefly but the corner of his mouth turned up. "I think that's just how things are always gonna be. It don't mean I hate her or anything. We just clash like that."

"So you like her?" She hedged, watching him closely.

His eyes stayed on the motor he was working on. "I don't _not_ like her."

"I think you make her nervous," she said.

Now he looked up. "She sure as hell don't act nervous. I've known her three days and she's attacked me twice."

Sophia laughed quietly. "I think she wants to hate you but she can't."

"I know the feelin'," he grumbled.

"If you wanted to hate her then you wouldn't be doing all of this for us. And I know that Piper hates us and that can't be easy on you. You two are close. I can tell, but me and my mom being around has made things harder than they have to be."

He shook his head. "She's just a little rough around the edges."

"I'm hungry," Damon's voice suddenly sounded behind them.

Daryl glanced over his shoulder and then up at the clock that hung on the wall above them. "Boy, you're always hungry. Go get Piper and figure out what everybody wants and I'll go on a run."

"You wanna see somethin' bad ass?" Damon asked, meeting her eyes and grinning.

Sophia glanced at Daryl and he nodded. "I gotta agree with him on this. You'll wanna see it, kid."

She followed Damon to another door at the very back of the garage. The closer they got to the door the louder the music behind the door became. When Damon stepped into the room Sophia hung back. She wasn't stupid. She knew the other girl didn't like her and she didn't feel right just barging into Piper's work space, though she had been curious as to what Piper actually did here.

Damon reached back and grabbed her hand, pulling her into the room. The lights in here were brighter than the rest of the garage and it only took a moment for Sophia to figure out why.

The room was full of gas tanks that went onto the bikes that the Dixon men built. None of them were just one solid color. All of them were adorned with elaborate designs. The detail was unlike anything Sophia had ever seen before. There were flames on some, skulls on others, pictures of flags and eagles and some with nature scenes. And in the middle of the room, sitting on a high stool with an air brush in her hand, was Piper Dixon.

The music was so loud that it almost hurt Sophia's ears and she was surprised that the sound didn't fill the entire garage, even with the door shut. She recognized the song. Jim Morrison's crooning voice singing Break on Through. It was fitting for the scene really.

Piper didn't notice them, her green eyes glued to her work as she skillfully handled the paint. Sophia was envious. All of the pieces were beautiful and she almost felt like she were at a very loud art show instead of in a room in a garage. When Piper finally did look up it was like she didn't even see Damon standing there. Her cold eyes landed right on Sophia. She grabbed a remote from the table she was working at and killed the music.

"You're fuckin' up my zen. What the hell do you two want?" She asked.

Damon motioned towards the door. "Time to eat."

Piper nodded and started cleaning up the table. Damon watched her with a frown. When she looked up she made a face. "You still here?"

"Piper, you might as well get the fuck over it. She ain't goin' anywhere. Her mom ain't goin anywhere. Actin' like a fuckin' ten year old is only gonna make everyone that has to deal with you miserable."

Sophia wanted to slink away, her face flaming. She didn't want them fighting over her.

Piper smiled but it was cold. "You know what. I just lost my appetite. I have shit to do." With that she sat back down and turned the music back on. Without a second glance she picked up the air brush and went right back to what she was doing.


	21. Chapter 21

**We aren't having the greatest weather here right now so I wanted to get this out in case we love power or something. Stay warm! Thanks for reading!**

 **Chapter Twenty One**

It was almost time to leave and Carol was getting nervous. She wasn't going to stay at Daryl's house again. Her and Sophia needed to learn how to communicate without him. He had done a lot for them but she had to put in some effort too. Now that Sophia was mostly sober and much more approachable she was hoping that they could start a relationship of their own now. It was off because with Daryl and Damon around, they were almost becoming some sort of dysfunctional family unit.

She had to put a stop to it. She wanted Daryl to be in Sophia's life as much as he wanted to be but he wasn't the girl's father. She barely knew him. He had a strange understanding that made it easy for him to get through to Sophia and that was great but he was just a friend.

"She wants to go back with me," he said, causing her to jump in her seat.

She turned in her chair, logged off of the computer and then stood up. "We can't keep that up. Can we?"

He met her eyes for a few long moments and she could have sworn he started blushing. He finally shrugged. "The only person bothered by it is Piper. It ain't that I mind you two there but you two can't make no progress if you ain't spendin' any time together."

She nodded. "I know. I wish she didn't hate it at Andrea's so much. I wish I could just move out right now."

"I can talk to Buck. You can get an advance and find yourself an apartment somewhere close to here. Hell, even if it ain't close to here, you'll be workin' with me. I can pick you up."

She bit her lip, considering his offer but finally she shook her head. He had done more than enough for her already and she wouldn't have him calling in any more favors. "No. I think we'll be okay."

He nodded and then leaned into the counter that separated them from the showroom floor. He crossed his arms over his chest. "Just let me know if you change your mind. You'd probably be able to get a two bedroom for pretty cheap."

She smiled. "You're sweet, Daryl. When you aren't manhandling me, anyway."

He scowled at her. "So, who was the suit with your friend? For a minute there I thought we were getting audited."

She rolled her eyes. "No idea. I thought he was kind of creepy. And he shakes hands like a girl. I wish you would have stuck around. His name is Melvin somethingstein."

He chuckled, crossing his feet at the ankles. "Melvin, huh? Maybe your friend is tryin' to set you up with a respectable guy. He seemed pretty into you from the way he was eyeballin' you when he first came in."

She scoffed. "He is an attorney that owns his own law firm in Atlanta. I doubt he'd be interested in an ex con with a teenage daughter that hangs out with the likes of you," she grinned.

He raised a brow. "The likes of me, huh?" He asked in mock outrage.

She nodded, keeping her eyes wide and innocent. "You know. All rugged and rough and unimpressed with his fancy silk ties and expensive suits. If you really think about it, I'm slumming."

"You're slumming?" He pushed off the counter. "I'm the respectable one out of the two of us, and that's really sayin' somethin' there, jail bird."

She sighed heavily. "Let's face it, Dixon. With my criminal record and your inability to wear shirts with the sleeves in tact, we're in the same class." She picked up her water bottle and held it up. "So here's to us. Me and you and this beautiful white trash empire that employs us both."

He surprised her when he barked out a loud laugh, shaking his head as his eyes danced mischievously. This wasn't a side of him she had seen before and she enjoyed it. He seemed a little lighter. It was nice.

She smiled and turned the bottle up but he apparently wasn't finished playing. He tipped the bottle all the way up with his finger causing her to spill a good portion of it over her chin and down her shirt. He turned and proceeded to walk around the counter towards the door to the garage. She quickly held it up and gave the bottle a squeeze, hitting him right in the back.

He turned, his eyes narrowed on hers. She shrugged but then cried out when suddenly he hopped right over the counter and went to grab the bottle from her but she turned, blocking his grab. She thought he would come around in front of her to fight for it but he surprised her when one arm snaked around her from behind while he grabbed the bottle with his other hand. She wasn't strong enough to get away and then he tipped it right over her head and dumped out the rest all over her. She gasped as the cold water ran down her back. She fought to get out of his grip, causing him to take a step forward.

She heard the sound of his boot squeak when it hit the puddle and then she yelled when she felt herself falling backwards. She waited for the impact but it never came. Unfortunately for him, his body absorbed it all and she heard him grunt in pain as his back slammed into the tile.

His arm was loose now and she was able to move but her panic only had her rolling over and then sitting up, straddling his hips.

"Are you okay?" She fretted, looking him over worriedly.

He grimaced but nodded anyway. She didn't believe him and worried that maybe he had hit his head when they had fallen. She leaned forward so she could look into his eyes to check his pupils. He laughed again, shaking his head. "I'm fine, damn it."

She raised back up, breathing out a sigh of relief. "You know, even if you weren't fine, it would serve you right. You're an ass."

He shrugged, making no move whatsoever to get up and then she realized with a start that she was straddling him right there on the floor... and she didn't really want to get up either.

"You two havin' fun down there?"

They both turned their heads towards the counter and Carol fully expected Damon to be standing there. It seemed like if there was an awkward moment between the two of them the boy showed up out of nowhere to hear or see the worst of it.

But it wasn't Damon. She was stunned into immobility when she looked up into the eyes of Buck and Merle. This was horrible! Daryl craned his neck so he could look at them too.

Buck seemed to be more than surprised and he was fighting to hold back a smile. Merle was openly gaping at them and then his eyes finally raised up to meet hers. "Nice tits, Carol," he said, his voice nothing but sincere.

Daryl cursed and then sat up quickly when she looked down and saw that the thin material of her shirt was completely see through and the white lacy bra she had on did nothing to hide everything God had given her. Now her chest was hidden but only because Daryl's was there to block Merle's view. She was still straddling his lap and her face was so hot she knew the other two men could probably feel it.

Daryl shook his head and then shrugged out of his vest, holding it in front of her. She snatched it out of his hand and then he leaned back on his arms as she slipped it on. At least she could cling on to a little bit of her dignity. Once she was covered she climbed off of him, offering him an apologetic look.

This was awful. The one time Buck shows up and he catches her rolling around in a puddle on the floor with his son. If he fired her right now it wasn't like she could fault him for it. "We fell," she said quickly while Daryl pulled himself up off the floor.

Buck raised a brow. "Is that what you kids are callin' it now days?"

Daryl grumbled something under his breath. "I'm gonna get some towels." He abandoned her there with Merle and Buck. The coward.

"So," Buck said, folding his arms on the counter and looking at her with an easy smile on his face. "How you likin' it so far?"

She nodded. "It's actually the best job I've ever had. I really am sorry about the mess. We were just-"

"Foreplay," Merle cut in. "I get it. Careful though. There's cameras in here and I ain't above watchin' free porn. Even if my brother is way out of practice." He grinned until Buck smacked him in the head.

"Boy, what the fuck is wrong with you?"

Carol watched them with wide eyes and finally Buck got done glaring at Merle and smiled at her again.

"Listen, we're closed Sundays and Mondays, like I told you before, so those are your days off. We were drivin' past and I figured we could stop and give you an invite to the house on Sunday. We're gonna have a cookout and you and your girl can stop in if you want. I didn't know if Daryl would remember to tell you about it."

She nodded. "That sounds great. Thank you, but if Daryl wanted us there I think he would have mentioned it."

Merle snorted. "He's probably gonna try to weasel his way out of it himself, the fuckin' flake. He does this shit all the time."

Buck elbowed him. "Go on and get Piper so we can get on home. Let them close up for the night."

Merle gave her one more lewd look and then walked away, rubbing the side of his head where Buck had smacked him. Neither of them said anything until Merle was gone and then Carol tried one more time to apologize.

"I hope you don't think this is what we do all day. He made me spill water down my shirt and then it just escalated." Her face was blazing again.

Buck shook his head. "If you got him that far outta that shell of his, I don't give a damn what you two do around here all day. I ain't heard him laugh like that in a long time. And I ain't ever seen him so damn comfortable with somebody else either."

She smiled, her pulse picking up, and followed his gaze to the door.


	22. Chapter 22

**Chapter Twenty Two**

Daryl thought about making up an excuse not to go to Buck's cookout. Then he decided against it. He wasn't going to offer an excuse. He was just gonna tell them that he wasn't going. He was a grown man and he didn't have to buckle down and do what his dad wanted. Merle could complain if he wanted. Daryl gave no fucks. This was going to be the first day in many that he had his house to himself and he was going to be able to just be alone.

Carol and Sophia hadn't stayed the night anymore. Him and Carol also hadn't done any rough housing since the night Buck and Merle caught them on the floor in a puddle of water. He didn't know what the hell he had been thinking. It didn't matter though. The moment had seemed to crack through the animosity that usually hung over them so that was good. He didn't spend a lot of time with her. They talked during breaks at work on occasion but it was all very friendly but not _her straddling him on the floor with her tits showing through her shirt_ friendly.

That was okay with him. Things had gotten weird there those first few days after they met. They had been forced together and neither of them had known how to handle the situation, or each other, so they both just lashed out. Now the waters were still.

But boring as fuck.

But that was okay too. Boring was good. He was used to boring. He had missed boring. He'd had a few dreams about her but nothing like that first night. He'd been able to keep his hands off himself. He sighed and shook his head at the thought of how high strung she had had him. It hadn't made a whole lot of sense. It still didn't but it did him no good to worry about it.

He wasn't as worried about Sophia anymore either. Even her and Piper seemed to have been able to put their differences aside to at least get through the work day. Damon split his time between the two of them. The girls still didn't want to spend any time together and when Sophia wasn't with Damon she was spending a lot of time with her mom. They laughed and talked now like everything was good. They even went to lunch just the two of them a few times but Carol didn't like having to borrow his truck very often. She was weird like that.

All in all things had fallen into a smooth rhythm. He fucking _liked_ her. And he didn't like anyone. That was just a rule. He loved Damon. He loved Piper and he'd even grudgingly admit that he loved Buck and his brother but _like_? Nah. He didn't like people. But she was damn funny most of the time and she didn't take shit from people. She was always good to Damon and even Piper. She had these weird little ticks that he got a kick out of. Like, she would order a burger with the works and then she'd take off the bun and eat the pickles and tomatoes first, then put it back together before eating the rest. And she dipped her chicken fingers in her milkshake, which he thought was fucking gross but Damon loved.

She was also a goddamn good mom. And it wasn't just how she acted towards Sophia either. Damon loved the damn woman and she seemed to love him right back. She coddled him any time somebody tried to give him a hard time and the giant baby got a goofy grin on his face any time she came in and complimented his work at the garage. She was good to all of them. She also had this habit of...

He scowled to himself as he flipped through the channels on the TV. What the hell was he doing thinking about her? It was his day off and he was going to spend it alone watching stupid shows and enjoying his time alone. Not spending it thinking about her. What the fuck?

The phone rang then, helping him push thoughts of Carol to the back of his mind. He didn't even look at it before he answered. "Yeah," he muttered, his eyes cutting over to a rerun of The Andy Griffith show.

"Where are you?"

His brows pulled together in a frown and he readjusted the pillow under his head. "Carol?" There goes his plans of not thinking about her.

"Yes. Why aren't you at your dad's?" She asked, sounding annoyed.

"Did Buck call you and make you call me thinkin' that would get me outta the house? What a fuckin' loser. You ain't my boss either. I'm busy."

"No, he didn't call me to tell me to call you, I called you all on my own. Why aren't you here?"

He frowned. "You're at Buck's?"

"Yes, of course. He invited me last week. I thought you would be here. I feel like an idiot. I don't know anyone here."

"You know the kids," he countered, starting to curse himself for not going. No one had told him she was going to be there.

"That's not the same," she grumbled. "I have no friends here."

He snorted. "And I'm your friend?"

"The closest thing I have to one other than Andrea, yes. I haven't been out long, remember? Are you coming or not?"

He glanced at the TV. "Not. I done told you. I'm busy."

"No you aren't."

He grinned. "I am. I have all kinds of shit to do around the house. Switchin' shifts has got me behind around here."

She was silent for a few moments and then she sighed. "I bet you're lying on the couch right now like a big lazy lump."

He picked at a loose thread on the throw that was hanging over the back of the couch. "Nope. I'm about to mow the lawn."

"I bet you aren't even wearing a shirt."

He looked down at his bare torso, his grin growing. "You're wrong. I'm fully dressed, about to pull the mower out of the shed right now."

"You can't lie to me. You're lying on the couch, half naked. I bet your jeans aren't even buttoned. Your belts undone and you look extremely lewd with that much of your boxer briefs showing. Have you no shame?"

He sat up, his eyes cutting to the window in the front door. Carol grinned and then flipped him off. He ended the call and glared at her, his face flaming. She opened the door and walked right in and all he could do was lay there and stare at her. She crossed her arms over her chest and then her eyes slid down quickly before coming back up to meet his.

"What in the hell are you doin' here?" He asked as he quickly buttoned his pants.

"I was trying my hand at being a peeper. I'm good at it," she said with a shrug. "Buck told me to come drag you out."

He stood up and started buckling his belt. "Buck can kiss my ass."

"He told me you would say that and he told me to tell you to go right ahead and lick your lips and consider it done. Now can you please put a shirt on and come with me? Or don't put a shirt on. I don't care either way."

He eyed her and then snatched his shirt off the arm of the couch. "Can't you people just leave a man be?"

"I guess not. I'm just taking orders from the boss."

He scoffed. "He ain't your damn boss on Sundays."

She sighed, the smile dying on her lips as she looked away. "It's okay. Enjoy your day off, Daryl. I'll just tell Buck that you really were busy so maybe he'll leave you alone. I'll just spend the rest of the day with the kids."

He narrowed his eyes on her but she didn't see it. She was still looking at the floor, her hands shoved in her back pockets. He cursed under his breath and snatched his keys off the hook near the door. Her head came up and their eyes met.

"I mean it. I don't want you to come if you don't want," she said quickly.

He pointed to the door, his face still set in anger. "Go. I'll follow you there."

"You can ride with me," she muttered, stepping out the door. "Buck let me take his truck."

Daryl stopped on the porch. He hadn't even thought to ask her how she had made it out to his place since she didn't have a car just yet. Buck hated when other people drove his truck. "Buck loaned you his truck?"

She nodded, looking up at him from under her long lashes. "He said that you would be too impressed that I could drive it to turn me down."

He scoffed. "Well, you ain't drivin' it back."

She frowned. "What?"

He snatched the keys out of her hand, holding them up out of her reach when she went to snatch them back. "If I gotta go to this thing then I get to drive the truck."

She made one more grab and then planted her hands on her hips. "You suck."

He jumped over the porch railing instead of using the steps like a normal person. He didn't trust her not to try to shove him down them. "You suck," he called over his shoulder.

"Not since prom night. Asshole."

He stopped in his tracks, turning to face her with his mouth hanging open. She had a deep blush spreading over her cheeks, like she couldn't believe she had said what she said.

"Shut up," she muttered before she stormed past him.

He caught himself before he could laugh at her retreating figure. "I wasn't gonna say a word." That wasn't true but she looked so embarrassed that he decided to drop it. Before meeting her that slip up would have probably embarrassed the hell out of him too but that wasn't really the case anymore. Not when it was just the two of them. She did a lot of teasing and he was getting used to it. The only thing that bothered him anymore was the knowing looks that Buck and Merle gave him any time they seen him with Carol and the constant questions from Damon.

"Damon asked if I was coming home with you tonight," she said as she struggled to haul herself into the passenger seat.

He leaned over, gripped her hand and then hauled her up. The truck was huge. It was the kind of truck a person would expect Buck Dixon to drive. "He asks me that every damn day."

She buckled up and glanced at him from the corner of her eye as he headed onto the road. "I may have told him that I would."

He looked over sharply. "What? I thought Sophia was doin' better at Andrea's."

Carol nodded. "She is. If you don't want us there then that's okay. I'll tell him no."

He shook his head. "It ain't that. I just figured since things were lookin' up you wouldn't wanna keep up with shit like that."

He felt her eyes on him but he refused to look at her. He watched the road instead. "You know, I know that things are better now. They keep getting better with her every day, but that doesn't mean I want things to change too much. You gave me my kid back. You're always going to feel like a part of... her family. Even though we haven't known you long. She looks up to you."

He didn't know what to say about that so he changed the subject. "So you let Damon guilt you into comin' over, huh?"

"Do you think he had been hoping that something was really going on between us?"

He glanced at her. "I know the boy cares about me, Carol, but I don't think he's all that interested in whether or not I'm getting laid."

She smacked his arm. "That isn't what I was getting at at all, Daryl. It's flattering that's the first place your mind went though. You're so sweet sometimes."

"Shut up."

"Anyway, no. I was just wondering if you thought that maybe he liked having a woman around? He's a teenage boy but maybe he still longs to have someone around that's... softer than you. You know?"

He shrugged. He had never really thought about that before. He'd always just assumed that he'd been enough for the kid. And he knew that he was but maybe she was right. Maybe he felt like his life was a little more... normal, with a man _and_ a woman around. Like maybe he had an actual family unit instead of just living with an older cousin because his folks were dead.

"I don't mean that he wants me around to take his mother's place," she said quietly when he didn't respond right away.

He nodded. "I know you didn't mean that. Maybe you're right though. I don't know. We don't usually talk about shit like that."

"I feel bad for them. Those kids have had a really hard way to go. I couldn't imagine going through all of that when I was that age."

Daryl felt his brows pull together in a frown. He was glad that she had agreed to spend the night again but he almost wished that this had never come up. He worried about that kid enough. This was just one more thing on all of their plates.


	23. Chapter 23

**Hi! I didn't really make it very clear in the last chapter that there was a slight time jump. I have a horrible habit of doing that! I hope it wasn't very confusing or anything. Hopefully you enjoy this chapter and for any of you reading my other stories, I've not had a lot of time to work on them but I'm going to get on that today! Thanks for reading!**

 **Chapter Twenty Three**

Carol wished she had never brought up anything about Damon. Once they pulled up at Buck's house Daryl seemed troubled and preoccupied. She was still happy that he had agreed to come with her. There were a lot of people there and she had felt out of place but now she just stuck with him and he didn't seem to mind.

She was surprised when she learned that a lot of Buck's guests were customers. Since his shop was family owned it made sense that they would have a more personal relationship with the people that came in than a larger dealership would.

"I'm gonna eat and then get the hell outta here," he said, leaning closer so she could hear him. There was a crowd around them and it seemed like everyone was talking at once.

"You know he's going to give you hell for that," she said with a grin. Ever since they pulled up Buck had been eying them like he was just waiting for Daryl to take off.

"Let him. He's lucky I'm here at all."

"Well, I'm glad you came. If you hadn't agreed to come I was just going to stay with you anyway. Make a lazy day of it. Something about being in prison for as long as I was has turned me into a shut in. I get nervous around crowds."

"Too bad you didn't say anything then. We could be layin' around on the couch watchin' dumb shows on TV and eatin' junk food right about now. Now we're both stuck here. And that goddamn woman keeps lookin' at me," he grumbled.

Carol looked around and spotted the woman. She was standing with Buck and an older man and sure enough she was going out of her way to catch Daryl's eye. But he was looking away, glaring in the other direction and cursing under his breath. "She's pretty," Carol observed.

He looked down at her with an angry gaze and then shook his head. "Last goddamn thing I need and you know it." He shrugged. "Besides, it's all package. She's all wrapped up like a goddamn Birthday present. I can spot a fake woman from a mile away."

Carol shrugged and then glanced back at the woman. She was surprised to see that the woman was now giving her a hard look. "Well that's rude. She's giving me the evil eye." She laughed. "Oh, I get it." She looked back up at him.

"What?"

"She probably thinks I'm trying to get into your pants or something. I guess I need to go find Merle and hang out with him. I'm absolutely ruining all your game." She went to walk away but he grabbed her hand and yanked her back towards him so hard they collided.

"You ain't leavin' me here! If you leave then she's gonna try to talk to me. I ain't got any goddamn game and I ain't in the mood to have to talk to people I don't know and that I know I won't like."

She glanced over to see if the woman was looking and he tightened his grip on her hand.

"Stop starin', goddamn it," he grumbled and then was suddenly pulling her through the crowd.

"Daryl, you're being ridiculous," she said, jerking her hand out of his. "You should go talk to her."

"Okay, I'll owe you one. If Melvin comes sniffin' around again then I'll snap his neck if you want. You owe me anyway. I'm lettin' you spend the night. All you have to do is stay stuck up my ass, it shouldn't be too hard. You've done it since we got here."

She made a face. "I have not!" But he did have a point about Melvin. Andrea had apparently told Melvin that Carol was single and he had came back to the shop asking her if she would be interested in dinner. She'd assured him that she was far too busy for that and her hours wouldn't give her time to go to dinner. He'd asked her out for drinks instead but she had used Sophia as an excuse to decline. Daryl made fun of her all the time for it. "Okay, fine. The next time Melvin comes to the shop you have to act like you're my boyfriend."

Now it was his turn to make a face. "What? That's stupid!"

Now she was annoyed. "Am I so repulsive that you can't stand the thought of one yuppy man thinking we're dating?"

"'Course not! I just don't wanna be called anybody's _boyfriend_. It sounds stupid."

"Fine. You're... I don't care what you call it. If he comes to the shop, pretend we're at least sleeping together."

He raised a brow. "How the hell am I suppose to pretend we're sleepin' together? Hump your damn leg if he walks in? Jesus, you suck at this more than I do."

"I don't know," she hissed under her breath. She eyed him. "You know, it wouldn't be a horrible thing to go out with a woman. I'm sure you get lonely."

He took on a look that she knew well. She was annoying the hell out of him and she knew it. "Would you mind your own damn business? What about you? Why ain't you jumpin' all over this guy Andrea's tryin' to shove down your throat? He's not a dog. He's fuckin' loaded. But you're not goin' for it."

She scowled. He had a point. It wasn't like she could say anything to him about any of it when she was being just as pig headed. The truth was, after Ed she had vowed never to put herself through that again. She didn't need a man. She didn't need the heartache. When she had first started dating him things had been perfect. He had never even raised his voice to her. It was after their marriage that he started showing his true colors.

It had started out with just small things. He started complaining a lot. She had never been able to do anything right. Then it went from him complaining to him yelling and belittling her. He started forbidding her to do things. He started forbidding her from seeing her friends and what little family she had had left. Once he had her alienated from everyone, that was when the physical abuse started.

But he hadn't started out like that. He had been a perfect gentleman. She had never even imagined that he would end up being the monster that he really was. So she didn't trust men. She had no desire to...

She realized with a start that that wasn't exactly true. There was one man she had grown to trust. And God knew, no matter how much she tried to hide it, she lusted after him.

"Goddamn it," he cursed.

She looked up and there the woman was, making her way towards them. It wasn't exactly jealousy that shot through her because she wasn't jealous. Daryl didn't want the woman, clearly. No, not jealousy at all. It was a flash of possessiveness. He wanted her to scare the girl off. Fine. She would scare the girl off.

He was in the process of turning away to bolt but she stopped him with a hand on his chest. He looked down at her, his expression one of annoyance. It changed from annoyance to confusion when he met her eyes.

Without letting herself think about it too hard her hand snaked around to the back of his neck and she pulled his face towards hers. If he didn't want this then he would shove her onto her ass and she would be completely humiliated. But he didn't fight and when his lips came down on hers there wasn't anything shy or insecure about it. She vaguely registered his hands going to her hips, pulling her closer. Her lips parted as she gasped in surprise and his tongue swept into her mouth, greedily dancing with hers.

His heart was slamming into her chest, chasing her own.

~H~

This was a huge mistake. If he was a smart man he would end the kiss now. Instead he kissed her deeper, drawing a low moan from her as his fingers flexed hard into her hips. She tasted like heaven and heartache and he felt like he wasn't able to get enough. He didn't need this but goddamn he _wanted_ it and it had been a long long time since he gave in and took something he wanted.

He wanted to taste more than just her mouth. He wanted it all. He wanted to get lost in everything that she was and for just a little while, forget anything else existed. His hands slid around to her ass, hauling her even closer and the hot caress of her tongue against his ignited a desire in him he hadn't felt before for anybody else...

"Jesus, little brother. You're puttin' on a hell of a show out here," Merle's raspy whisper sounded in his ear and he remembered exactly where he was. They were standing in the middle of a crowded back yard and he realized that things had quieted down a whole lot out there.

He pulled back, feeling his face blaze as he realized that there were a lot of people staring at them. Carol cleared her throat, her eyes huge and boring into his with a million questions. Questions that he wasn't willing to answer. He dropped his hands and risked a look around. He winced. Sure, the woman that had been eye fucking him since they had gotten there was staring, her expression slightly angry but that wasn't what brought him up short. Buck, Piper, Damon and even Sophia were staring at him with their mouths open in shock.

"Fuck," he grumbled, ducking his head and stepping around her. He made a beeline for the house, needing a minute to collect his thoughts and for all those vultures to forget what they had just seen.

He didn't hear her following after him until he nearly slammed the door on her. He caught the door and moved so she could step past him. Before he could even think of anything to say to her she spun around. He'd never seen the look on her face that was there now.

"I'm so sorry. I don't know why I thought it was okay to do that. I wasn't thinking," she said hurriedly. "I guess I just figured that if that woman saw that then she'd get the wrong idea and leave you alone." She was wringing her hands in front of her, a quiet desperation in her wide eyes.

He shook his head. "Mission accomplished. No harm no fowl I don't guess." He was actually freaking out in his head but she looked goddamn miserable and he knew it was because she thought he was going to end up giving her an ear full. It didn't make much sense because as soon as she gave him the go ahead, it was him that took it too far. Hell, if Merle hadn't reminded him where the hell he was he was probably just a few seconds away from peeling her fucking clothes off.

She met his eyes, studying him as he leaned against the wall. "I think I need to go explain myself to Damon and Sophia. Not that they'll believe anything I say."

Daryl nodded. "Yeah. Tell them to get their shit in gear too. I wanna get the hell outta here."

She smiled but it was forced. She opened the door but before she slipped out, finally leaving him alone, she stopped and looked up at him again. "Daryl?"

He sighed. "Yeah?"

She almost looked like she wanted to cry but he didn't know what to say to her to make her feel any better. She looked away and then seemed to force herself to look back at him. "I know that we didn't really start out on the same foot. I did some awful things but over the last week I feel like we've actually became friends. I like spending time with you. I like working with you. The time I get to spend with Damon and Sophia are so important to me. Did this... did this mess that up?"

He held her gaze and then he shook his head. "No," he lied. He really didn't see how he could go right back to joking with her at the shop when all he was going to be able to do was think about kissing her. It had been hard enough before now. Now it was going to be a new kind of slow torture.

She smiled then, relief brightening her eyes. "Good." She turned to leave but stopped again. "By the way. You're probably the best kisser I've ever had the pleasure of kissing. I mean, that was _hot_."

He glared. "Shut up."

She flashed him another grin and then finally left him alone.

He turned and kicked the couch so hard that it slid a few feet, running a hand through his hair and telling himself not to go after her. Not to drag her back into the house and... Nope. No. "Fuck, fuck fuck," he growled, shaking his head, trying desperately to shake away the memory of how goddamn perfect that kiss had been.


	24. Chapter 24

**Chapter Twenty Four**

Sophia sat in the back seat with Piper and Damon while Daryl drove Damon's car home. Her mom was in the passenger seat and no one was saying anything. Seeing her mom kiss a man had been strange, sure, but it was probably one of the happiest moments of her life. She wanted a family. A real family. She wanted a dad that could show her how to work on engines and she wanted a mom that could make a home. Damon really wasn't like a brother to her because she thought he was the hottest thing this side of the sun, but that was okay. When she'd seen her mom kiss Daryl she had felt like all of that was attainable.

Later on Carol had informed her and Damon both that what they had seen was nothing. She had been trying to dissuade some woman from talking to Daryl because he hadn't been interested and things had escalated and it had been a huge mistake. Damon told Sophia not to worry about it though. He said he'd never seen Daryl kiss anyone in his whole life and there he had stood, in front of thirty people, totally making out with her mom.

When they pulled up at Andrea's her and her mom got out without a word. All they were doing was picking up some clothes because her mom finally agreed to go back to Daryl's. Sophia felt like she hadn't been there in forever. And things were looking up even more because at least now Piper wasn't openly hostile towards her. She seemed to be getting used to her being around now.

When they came in Andrea jumped up from the couch. "Thank God you're home!" She said quickly, grabbing Carol by the hand and hauling her towards the kitchen.

Sophia rolled her eyes at their antics and took off to her room. She wanted nothing to do with whatever that conversation was about. Andrea had taken her out to lunch just the day before and they had actually talked like two civilized people. It made her feel good to clear the air. She had even broken down and told Andrea how sorry she was for everything she had done over the last year and that had only made the woman get all weepy, but it still made Sophia feel better. She wanted to be in a good place with Andrea and now she felt like she was. She even tried to pay her back some of the money she had stolen but Andrea had refused it.

Andrea had always been there for her. She had never treated her wrong and Sophia, even though she hadn't realized it, really did love her. But she didn't want to be here anymore because it seemed like no matter how hard Andrea had tried, to Sophia, it had never been enough. She had still been afraid and she had still longed for a family. At Daryl's she felt like she had one. Now she had a friend in Andrea again, and things were looking like they were on the road to getting better. She was on the road to getting better.

~H~

Carol stared at her friend. "What the hell are you so excited about?"

Andrea blew a strand of hair out of her face and grinned. "I think I've got it."

"Got what? Calm down!" Carol couldn't help but laugh.

"I think I got it. Melvin Silverstein wants me to join them in Atlanta," she grinned.

Carol hugged her quickly, knowing what this meant. "That is amazing! I'm so happy for you."

"There's so many more opportunities in the city and Melvin already agreed to help you find a good job. I looked up the apartments online and they're amazing. Sophia can-"

Carol felt dread settle heavily in her chest. "Wait, what are you talking about?"

"I'm talking about an actual fresh start. For you and for Sophia. This is the best thing that could happen to all three of us!"

Carol felt her heart sink. "Andrea, I'm happy for you. I really am but Atlanta is four hours away. I can't just... move. I have a job here and Sophia is doing so much better. You've seen her."

Andrea couldn't hide the shock on her face. "Carol, you can't be serious."

"I'm very serious. We're happy here. I know that you have to do what's best for you but I have to do what's best for me and I think the best thing I can do is just stay here."

Andrea's face fell. "What you need to do is whatever is best for Sophia. You know that."

"I do. Which is why I can't pack her up and move her away. You know she's doing better now."

"For how long?" Andrea asked, crossing her arms over her chest. "For the summer? That's great. But summer isn't going to last forever, Carol. She's going to have to go right back to that school and face all those damn kids. They all know how she was. She already had a hard enough time before this whole fiasco. She's going to get treated even worse now. And we both know how she deals with problems."

Carol was about to argue but she closed her mouth. What could she say? She had been getting through one day at a time and she had been happy with how things were. She hadn't allowed herself to think that far ahead. "We'll talk about it tomorrow. We're staying at Daryl's tonight."

Andrea rolled her eyes. "Have you slept with him yet?"

She scowled. "You know it isn't like that."

Andrea nodded. "So you say. But that's good because I need a favor and God knows you owe me one."

Carol was grateful for the change of subject. The thought of leaving had her throat closing and she thought maybe Andrea knew that. "What kind of favor."

"Just a few hours of your time. That's it. If you give me this then we're even. It's that big." She grinned.

Carol narrowed her eyes. "This sounds much to easy."

Andrea sighed and leaned against the counter. "Yeah, I practiced my delivery. I was hoping that you would be so excited about Atlanta that you would jump at anything but since that failed... I guess I have to give it to you straight and hope for the best."

Carol crossed her arms over her chest.

"I need you to go out to dinner with Melvin. He hasn't stopped talking about you since he saw you last week and-"

"No," Carol said, shaking her head. "No way in hell."

"Carol it would be a favor to me. That's it. That's what we do. We do each other favors."

"I can't possibly be any less interested in that man," Carol hissed.

"Why? Because he's good looking, rich, nice and is willing to look past your... past? I don't get you! Is this because of Daryl Dixon?" Andrea's brow shot up.

Carol glared. "If he's already told you that you have the job then why the hell do I need to go out with him?"

"I just want this to be perfect. This is the kind of job I've been working my whole life for. He's mentioned you so much and asked about dinner. I told him you were off tomorrow."

"I'm getting some clothes. I'll see you tomorrow." Carol wanted to flog her.

"What do I tell him?" Andrea called after her.

Carol scowled. "Tell him to be here at seven." She couldn't believe she was doing this but if she owed anyone big time, it was Andrea. She would get through one stupid dinner with the man. It wouldn't kill her. It wasn't really a date so there was no reason to tell anyone about it. Especially Daryl or Sophia. She didn't know why she needed to keep it secret but she did.

She felt depressed as she shoved some clothes into her bag from the suitcase she was still living out of and then went to the bathroom to get a few other things, since she wasn't staying long enough to take a shower. She'd just take one there.

"You ready? You're taking forever!" Sophia called.

Carol closed the bag and then walked out, calling out a quick goodbye to Andrea.

~H~

Daryl tapped on the steering wheel and leaned his head against the back of the seat while he waited for Carol and Sophia. He was waiting for it and he didn't have to wait very long. Damon's head appeared in the space between the seats. Daryl didn't even have to look at him to see the grin on his face.

"So, I was right this whole time, huh? You and Carol."

Daryl shook his head. "Nope."

Piper actually laughed. "Dude, you two were three seconds away from banging right there in front of everybody. You can't deny that."

Daryl rolled his eyes. "She kissed me. That was it. And the only reason she did that was cause that lady was followin' me around and I wanted her to leave me alone. Carol did me a favor and it worked. I didn't see the woman again."

"Okay," Damon laughed. "I'd believe that. I saw who kissed who. I also saw you take it to a whole new level. She didn't. You did. To be honest with you, I never thought you had any shit like that in you, man. And all this time I thought I got my game from Merle."

"Damon, shut up."

Piper laughed. "Dude, she fell right into it too. As soon as you gave her some tongue she heated up so damn much even I had to step away. Then you manhandled her ass and that made her even hotter."

Daryl's face flamed and he was about to tell Piper to get out and walk her ass home when his phone went off. He groaned. He knew this was coming. He answered and then stepped out of the car, slamming the door behind him. He didn't need these two hearing his end of this conversation. "What?" He growled by way of greeting.

"You all left in a hurry. I needed to ask you somethin'," Buck said, sounding way too chipper.

"Yeah, well, you're lucky I came at all. What did you wanna talk about?"

"I gotta ask you somethin' first. I think you know what it is," Buck said hesitantly.

"Ain't nothin' goin' on between me and Carol. Jesus Christ. Why the hell won't any of you shut up about it?"

"So in no way shape or form? She ain't your woman? You ain't in some kind of weird secret relationship? You ain't throwin' her any here and there? Nothin' is going on at all?"

"Nothin'. Not a goddamn thing. What the hell does it matter?" Daryl growled. "Why is everybody so interested in my goddamn dick all a sudden!"

"Well, I was hoping we could talk about it face to face but since you disappeared on me, I guess I gotta ask you over the phone. I need a favor. If there was any way your brother could do it then I'd ask him but he can't. He's too... Merle."

Daryl frowned. Buck didn't ever ask him for a damn thing. He never had. "What's goin' on? You in some kind of trouble or somethin'?" Most of the time him and Buck's relationship was a strained one but he cared about his dad all the same and he didn't like the thought that something could be wrong.

"Nah, boy. Nothin' like that. You know that sales have been a little slow the last few months, right?"

Daryl thought he knew what this was about and jumped in before Buck could say anything else. "Look, I know you really couldn't afford to hire two more people, alright. I'm gonna do what I can to find them somethin' else. I checked the books and all we gotta do is sell just a few of the higher end bikes and we'll be back on top."

"It ain't that, son. Well, not really. I wouldn't ask you to put them girls out. I like them. I like you when that woman is around." He chuckled but then caught himself. "Look, you've heard of Barron Stockholm, right?"

Daryl's eyes cut to the porch but Carol must have been taking her sweet time because there wasn't a sign of them yet. "Yeah, I think everybody has. Why?"

"Well, he was here. He's interested in the Super Glide and the thirty six knuckle head. You know what that means?"

Daryl's mouth dropped. "That means about one hundred and thrity fuckin' grand. Jesus Christ. We ain't made a sell like that before. Not in one big hit."

Buck grunted. "Yeah, I know."

"So what the fuck you need me to do? Those bikes have been built for a long time. They don't need any work."

"Just remember that he has friends, boy. Rich friends that like to outdo one another."

Daryl narrowed his eyes. "Spit it out, Buck."

"Well, his daughter was with him today and you seem to have caught her eye. I'd mentioned you were single but then you and Carol had to put on that show before she could ask you to dinner. That's all she wants is for you to show her a decent time tomorrow night. You know how important this sale is."

Daryl was glaring at the phone now. He put it back to his ear and then spit on the ground. "You're tryin' to pimp me out! What the fuck is wrong with you!"

"That ain't what I'm doin'! I just thought you could take her out. I'll give you the money to do it. Look, this man is crazy about his little girl. If she's happy then he's happy. It ain't like you're even her type! She's probably just wantin' to hang out with somebody she thinks is some bad boy type and you're the one that happened by."

"Goddamn it, Buck! Make Merle do it!"

"I was going to do just that but you know as well as I do I can't trust Merle. He'll get her drunk and fuck her in the restroom of the restaurant. I know you won't do anything like that. We're talkin' a huge score for the family business. You all work hard and now you can finally have a little to show for it."

Daryl growled. "Fuck! I don't wanna do this." But he knew he would. There was too damn much money on the line.

"You pick her up from her hotel at seven. I'll call you tomorrow afternoon."

"I hate you," he grumbled before he ended the call. He looked up just as Carol and Sophia were coming down the steps. There was no way in hell he was telling her about this. It just didn't feel right. He didn't even know why.


	25. Chapter 25

**Hello! I have a concerned reader that is worried about one of the characters sleeping with someone else. That will never ever happen in any of my stories ever. It doesn't matter if it's AU or not, neither of them will ever be with another person physically or otherwise. I will only ever write Caryl. I have only ever written Caryl. All of my stories are only Caryl except for a Merle/OC story and even that has a heavy dose of Caryl in it. I am one of the few 100% Caryl shippers I know and I won't change that for a little dramatic effect. You have my word. I hope you aren't nervous anymore! Lol**

 **Chapter Twenty Five**

Carol couldn't believe how well the girls were getting along now. Piper seemed to be softening up a little, which was saying a lot because she was very open with her hostility. Now they at least talked to each other. Sophia was happy and it made it hard to think about what would happen to her once school started back up. Andrea had planted a seed of worry in her brain and it was growing quickly.

She had just gotten out of the shower and was heading down the hall when she heard Damon's voice come from the kitchen.

"Can we go see a movie? No partying. No alcohol. Just a movie?"

She came around the corner, entering the kitchen and everyone's head came up to look at her except Daryl's. Daryl just shrugged, his eyes on his phone. "Ask Carol."

"Why ask Carol?" Carol asked.

His head came up then, his eyes meeting hers. "Because it's damn near nine and that means they probably won't be in till midnight and I ain't givin' the okay for your kid to be out that late."

She frowned and glanced at Sophia before looking back at Daryl. "What would you normally do if Damon asked to see a movie this late?"

"I'd tell him to make sure his ass stayed out of trouble."

Carol sighed and looked back at her daughter. "Make sure your ass stays out of trouble."

"You guys can come too, ya know," Damon added, grabbing Sophia's hand and pulling her down from the counter.

They both shook their heads at the same time. "I hate the movies," Carol made a face.

"Me too. You three are on your own," Daryl said, looking back at his phone.

Piper grinned. "Are you two gonna-"

"Go, Piper," Daryl snapped before the girl could say anything else.

The three of them laughed as they walked out of the kitchen, leaving Daryl and Carol alone. She stared after them for a few long moments until she heard Daryl's chair move. He stood up and stretched and she caught herself letting her gaze run over him. When she looked at his face she realized that he was doing the same to her. She flushed. She was dressed in a tank top and sleep shorts but she felt naked under his gaze.

She cleared her throat. "You think they'll behave out there?"

He snorted. "Yeah. You can't keep her with you all the damn time. Summer ain't gonna last forever so she might as well get in as much fun as she can before the tough stuff starts back up."

She winced at the mention of her going back to school. On the drive here and then every second since they walked in the door she had been thinking about that. She knew what she wanted. She wanted to keep her job at the shop. She wanted to get her and Sophia an apartment somewhere. But was that what her daughter needed? What kind of hell was she going to face once she went back to school? And then, was she strong enough to deal with all of that and stay sober?

She was doing better. Better than Carol ever expected but how much of that had to do with the fact that her days were spent with people that she knew cared about her? It was different when she wasn't forced to deal with the other kids. And she had ruined her reputation. It was going to be so hard on her.

"How bad do you think it'll be on her?" Carol asked, following him to the living room.

He shrugged out of the leather vest and then sat down heavily on the couch. She curled up on the other side, tucking her legs under herself. He started flipping through channels on the television but then he finally looked at her. "It's gonna be real bad, I'm guessin'. The kids she was runnin' with started talkin' about her. They told everybody else she was sleeping with all of them for drugs. Everybody is gonna remember that. She dealt with it then cause she was fucked up all the time. When she goes back, she'll be dealin' with it all with a clear head."

"Do you think it'll drive her to do it all over again? Just to deal with the other kids?" Carol asked, feeling her heart break for her daughter.

Daryl shook his head. "I don't know. I'd like to think she would but to a sixteen year old, high school is kind of the universe, ain't it? But she's damn tough and the people she's got at her back are even tougher. Maybe it won't be as bad as I'm thinkin' it'll be."

She hated herself for the decision that she made just then but she didn't see any other way. Andrea was right. She needed to think about her daughter. She needed to do what was best for her and sending her back to that school, forcing her to look those kids in the eye, was the last thing she needed.

"Andrea got a job in Atlanta. A great job. I think it'd be best for Sophia if we took her up on the offer of moving with her. She can start at a new school with a clean slate." She didn't look at him. She didn't want him to see how painful those words were. She had meant what she had said to him earlier. He was her friend and she trusted and cared about him more than she probably had any right to. The thought of leaving him was causing a strange dull throb in her chest.

"That's four fuckin' hours away," he said, his voice quiet.

She nodded. "I know. But she deserves a new start and I'm starting to think I do too. Everyone here knows me. They know what I did and where I've been. I've been hiding behind you since the day after I got out of prison. I can't keep hiding."

He shook his head and his eyes went back to the screen without a word.

"What?" She asked, knowing he had more to say about it.

He shook his head again, refusing to look at her. "I told myself that I was done fightin' with you. Trust me, you don't wanna here a goddamn thing I have to say about the situation. Ain't none of my fuckin' business what you do." Anger laced his words but Carol was sure there was something else there too. She just didn't know what it was.

"I don't want to fight with you but I want to know what you're thinking," she said in a quiet voice. What she really wanted was for him to reassure her that maybe staying was the best choice.

He didn't look at her but at least he spoke. "It ain't no concern to me what you do, Carol. I'm just some guy that stuck his nose in your business."

His words stung. "That's not true."

"It is now," he said firmly. He stood up and tossed the remote onto the coffee table and walked past her without meeting her eyes.

She waited for a while for him to come back but he never did. She tried to think about something else but her mind kept going back to his words.

 _It is now_.

What did that even mean? As strange as it seemed, it almost felt like he was breaking up with her. She shook the thought away. Everything was so convoluted between them and she hated it. She swiped at her eyes and stared at the television but she didn't pay attention to anything that was on.

~H~

He wanted to go back out there and smack her right upside her stupid head. Dragging that kid to Atlanta wasn't going to solve a goddamn thing. Sophia was tough and she'd make it through those first rough months back at school. Carol mentioned that she'd been hiding behind him since she had gotten out of prison but in his opinion, hiding was a lot fucking better than running. And that was what she was doing.

He was trying to teach Sophia how to stand up and be strong. He wasn't teaching her that when things got hard, tuck tail and run to the nearest fucking city. What the hell was that woman thinking? He wanted to go scream that right in her face but he wasn't going to. The fucking gash her words had left in him was fucking deep and it was that moment he realized he was getting way to goddamn invested in this... whatever the fuck it was.

He didn't need this. He had a boy to take care of already and taking on the problems of anyone else, no matter the reasons, had been a fucking mistake. Because now he was going to have to watch them both walk the fuck away. Why the fuck had he been stupid enough to let his guard down and let this woman into his life in the first place? If there was one thing he knew for sure it was that you couldn't trust people. Not anyone. About the only people he trusted at all was Damon and Piper. Even Merle and Buck had let him down so many times that he couldn't even let them in.

He folded his arms behind his head and stared up at the ceiling. And the worst part, the part he hated the most, was that he wasn't sure if she was right. Maybe this really was what Sophia needed. Clean slate. Fresh start. He had to keep reminding himself over and over again that it didn't matter how he felt. It didn't matter what he thought about the situation. He had to let Carol do what she thought she needed to do.

He just hadn't expected it to fucking _hurt_. Pain wasn't something he could deal with and it morphed into the one thing he was accustomed to. The one emotion he knew how to deal with and that was anger.

A tap at the door had him raising his head and glaring. He knew the kids weren't back. Hell they hadn't left long ago. Carol stepped into the room and he forced himself to keep his eyes from roaming over her. Her shorts were way too fucking short and it wasn't a secret that she wasn't wearing anything under that thin fucking shirt. He was pissed and didn't need this distraction.

"What the hell do you want, Carol?" He asked, keeping his tone clipped.

She sat down on the edge of the bed, keeping her back to him, and drew in a shaky breath. "I want to know what you think would be the best thing to do. You obviously have an opinion. I want to hear it. I can listen without fighting with you."

He didn't want to tell her what the best thing would be because it would possibly be that he had to tell her that she should make a move to Atlanta. "She ain't mine. Too many goddamn lines are getting blurred here. You make the call. You think it's best to move then move." This fucking sucked.

He finally looked over when he heard a quiet sniffle, his heart leaping painfully in his chest. He couldn't deal with any crying shit. He didn't know how to do it. He was used to her bullshit. Her attitude, her anger, her teasing crap. He wasn't used to this at all.

She wiped her cheeks and then surprised him when she laid down next to him. "I think I need to try. If it doesn't work I could always figure out a way to come back," she whispered.

He stayed perfectly still, not offering her anything at all. No words. Definitely no physical comfort because he was reeling. He didn't want her to fucking leave. The thought had his throat feeling thick. He looked down sharply when her head was suddenly on his chest and she was sniffling again.

"Don't do that," she hiccuped.

His eyes went wider. "Do what?" He croaked, completely out of his comfort zone.

"Don't just get mad and shut me out. You hate me for coming in and complicating your life, don't you?" Her voice was pathetic and if it was under any other circumstances he would have made fun of her for it but this was serious. He knew exactly why she was so upset, because he was too, even if he didn't understand it.

He moved so he could cautiously put his arm around her and then he brought his other arm out from under his head. He sighed heavily and trailed his fingers down her arm, since now it was draped over his midsection. "I don't hate you for anything."

They stayed like that for a long time before he felt her start to relax. Her breathing evened out and he didn't have the heart to tell her to get the fuck off his bed and go sleep on the couch. He refused to admit to himself that he liked having her there. And now it kind of felt like time was slipping between his fingers. He might as well enjoy her company while it lasted. Some time soon she would be living it up in the big city and him and this stupid town would be nothing but an almost fond memory.

With the light on and the door open wide he felt his eyes grow heavy. With the weight of her head tucked under his chin and the warmth of her body pressing against his side he fell asleep, trying not to think about how much he would miss her.

Miss them both.


	26. Chapter 26

**Hello! I usually don't do this but the rain really messes up my internet and I wasn't sure when I would be able to post again. It's apparently going to be a damp week around these parts so I wanted to update one more time.**

 **I know some of you are beyond ready to see what happens when these two go on these dates. Lol Trust me, I'm ready for you to see it too. I had a lot of fun while writing those chapters. It's coming! No worries. Hope you guys have a great weekend! Thanks for reading!**

 **Chapter Twenty Six**

When Carol woke up she didn't freak out. She knew exactly where she was and she knew exactly who she was with. She was surprised he had managed to get up, turn off the light and shut the door without waking her up. She had nearly crawled on top of him in her search for some sort of comfort. But now it was dark and they had moved.

Her back was to him but she was fitted right into the curve of his body. His arm was around her and his slow even breaths fanned over her neck. She had to admit that she hated leaving his bed. This was the most comfortable she thought she had ever been in her life. Her eyes were swollen and puffy and she had a slight headache from crying like a big idiot.

She needed to get up and make sure the kids had made it home. While she was at it she needed to make sure that Damon and Sophia were in separate rooms. Or at least not in the same bed. She hated leaving the warmth of his bed though. It was a seriously great bed. He moved behind her tightening his hold on her and moving his head until she felt the softness of his lips press against her shoulder.

She tried easing away from him so she wouldn't wake him up but she didn't get very far before she heard a low growl come from deep in his chest and his arm pulled her right back against him. She was sure that he was still asleep but apparently he found her just as comfortable. She wanted to stay but she really couldn't go back to sleep not knowing if the kids were back yet. She knew it was still night because the room was dark, but she didn't know what time it was.

She tried one more time to slip away but this time when he pulled her back it was with a little more force. "Would you be still? Goddamn," he grumbled.

Her eyes grew wide. He was awake and he was still holding her against him. "I need to get up and see if the kids are back," she whispered, her heart thundering in her chest.

"Did you get up and turn off the light and shut the door?" He mumbled into her neck, causing her whole body to shiver.

"No," she breathed, unable to force more volume into her voice.

"Then they came home and did it themselves. Go back to sleep," he whispered.

She almost couldn't believe it. "You want me to stay in here with you?"

He growled again and then huffed. "Don't go makin' it weird. Do you wanna sleep on the damn couch?"

"No," she said more loudly than she meant to.

He moved so his lips were right by her ear now. "Then go back to sleep, Carol."

She smiled to herself but she almost wanted to cry again. Instead she held the tears at bay and rolled over so she was able to work her head between his head and his shoulder. Her arm went around his waist just as his fingertips worked into the back of her shirt. He lazily traced the line of her spine with a feather light touch, causing goosebumps to break out over her skin. She fell asleep once his hand grew still on her back and his breathing deepened.

When she woke up again there was early morning sunlight pressing against the blinds. She rolled over onto her back and stretched. There were no kinks, no aches or pains. Her mind wasn't foggy and she felt almost energized. She felt better than she had in a very long time. Daryl was sprawled out on his stomach, his head turned away from her but his heavy arm still draped over her. She eased it off and was happy that this time he didn't wake up. He shoved his arm under the pillow and grunted.

She sat there for a few long moments, staring almost hungrily at the wide expanse of his shoulders and the muscles of his smooth back before she slipped out of bed, rubbing her arms to fight off the chill in the room. She'd been warm next to him but he kept the room frigid. She really didn't want to leave the warmth of his bed but she also wasn't ready to face him when he finally woke up.

She wasn't ready to face him at all because last night she realized that leaving him and Damon was going to be one of the most painful things she had ever done. They were... well, they were her family. Sure, her and Daryl had a strange relationship and they were sometimes hostile towards one another, but she knew he cared about her and she couldn't deny her own feelings. He had his flaws but who didn't? She knew she had her own but that didn't matter. She cared about him. She cared about Damon. She never thought that the idea of not being around them every day would hurt this bad. Like her heart was trapped in a vice.

She silently left him sleeping and padded barefoot down the hall. Damon's door was shut so she cracked it open and peaked inside. He had heavy drapes over his windows but she could make out his sleeping form. Past him, on the couch, Piper was sprawled out with her arm draped over her eyes.

The door across the hall was cracked and she found Sophia curled up in the middle of the big bed. She smiled to herself and closed the door. On her way through the living room she glanced up at the clock and was surprised to see that it wasn't even six thirty yet. She started the coffee pot and then hurriedly dressed in the bathroom. Her eyes were still a little swollen and she cursed herself for being such an idiot the night before.

An hour later she was pulling a batch of homemade biscuits from the oven. She had found everything she needed to make a decent breakfast. The last time she had spent the night Damon had woke up starving and Daryl had pointed him right to the cereal. Even if no one else woke up with an appetite, she would feel better knowing the boy would get a decent meal. She hadn't realized how much she missed cooking until she found herself lost in the mundane task. She didn't dwell on things like moving away.

"You take the phrase 'make yourself at home' and you run with it."

She glanced over and smiled. Daryl was running a hand over his face, his eyes squinty. "I woke up early," she said, hoping he didn't mind her taking over his kitchen. She poured him a cup of coffee as he sat down heavily.

"Thanks," he muttered when she sat it down in front of him.

"Oh my God," Damon's voice sounded from the hallway. "Please don't let this be a dream."

Daryl chuckled and shook his head as the boy rounded the corner.

"Carol, he might be to stupid to tell you but I sure as hell ain't. I love you. Will you move in with me? Is that gravy?"

Daryl shook his head. "Boy, how the hell do you not weigh more than this house?"

Damon shrugged and sat down. "No clue. That ain't what's important. What's important is, I ain't eatin' cereal this morning."

"Neither are we," Sophia said from the doorway. Her and Piper shuffled into the room, still in their sleep clothes.

Carol brought the food to the table and then a stack of plates. Daryl groaned when he saw that they were real plates and not paper, which was all she had seen them use in this house. "I'll do the dishes, stop groaning," she muttered, handing him a plate.

"I ain't groanin'," he muttered filling his plate up quickly, like everyone else. They were probably afraid Damon would end up eating it all.

"You were groaning," Damon said, his eyes taking inventory of the bacon.

"Shut up," Daryl said, finally digging in.

Everyone was distracted with eating and Carol was glad. She knew that the best thing she could do was bring this up to Sophia soon so she could get used to the idea. Carol was pretty sure that she would be happy. She'd been wanting to get out of Andrea's house and the prospect of going back to school after everything that had happened had to be something that she thought about a lot.

She was also glad for the distraction because she didn't want to feel any awkward tension between her and Daryl. She had slept with him. And he had been sweet to her. Facing him after that was almost as strange as it would have been if she had to face him after having sex with him. He could have kicked her out of his bed but he hadn't. He had encouraged her to stay.

"I'm sensing some sexual frustration. I expected it too after catching you two sleeping with your clothes on," Piper said suddenly.

Daryl's face burned red and she was sure that hers matched. She eyed the redhead. "I fell asleep in there. It was totally accidental."

Piper nodded. "I hear you. I always hate when I mysteriously find myself in some guys bed... sleeping." Sophia and Damon laughed but Carol and Daryl both gave her a heavy look that had her brows raising. "Fine. I give. Damn," she said around a mouth full.

Daryl caught her eye from across the table and then he glanced quickly at Sophia before meeting her eyes again. She nodded, knowing what he was saying without him saying a word. Maybe this was something that she should talk to her daughter about alone. Maybe it was a private thing that should be between the two of them. But Carol didn't feel that way. Sophia was who she was now because of Daryl and as strange as it was, it felt right to have him there when she mentioned it to the girl.

"Merle want you home early?" Daryl asked Piper.

Piper nodded. "Actually not home. I have to finish up that tank. Special order. You guys get to live it up and I'll be slavin' away at the shop all mornin'."

"Kid, you make more than most grown folks do. I wouldn't complain if I were you," Daryl said, a proud glint in his eye.

Carol had seen her work and couldn't believe it. She had so much talent.

"Yeah, well, it still sucks. I gotta prepare for the annual Dixon camping trip. You two do realize that we only have two weeks, right?"

"The what?" Carol asked as Daryl and Damon both sighed and shook their heads.

Piper grinned and stood up, nudging Damon who was finishing up his second plate. "Every year we go to the mountains up north. No phones, no wifi. We kill our own food and only have the supplies we pack. It's fucking great. We stay up there at least five days."

"I've never been camping but I thought people usually went to campgrounds with running water and electrical hook ups?" Carol was genuinely intrigued.

"That ain't camping," Daryl scoffed.

Damon looked surprised. "You two have never been camping?"

Carol shook her head.

Damon stood up, taking his plate to the sink. "We should talk about you guys goin' too when I get back. You'd love it."

Piper, to Carol's surprise, nodded. "You would." She turned to follow Damon out the door but stopped, turning. "Hey, thanks for the grub."

Carol smiled through her shock. "Any time, Piper."

Once they were out the door Carol met Daryl's eyes again. He looked away, staring down at the remainder of his coffee. He didn't look happy. She wasn't happy either. She wished she knew that she was making the right decision.


	27. Chapter 27

**Chapter Twenty Seven**

Sophia helped her mom clear the table quickly. She couldn't stop smiling to herself as she ran the dish water. The morning had been great. The conversation had been light and easy and it had actually felt like they all kind of belonged there. Piper was actually talking to her now instead of just making sounds at her when she would ask questions. She'd slept good for the first time since she had stopped taking the pills.

"We need to talk about something," Carol said, her voice low and guarded as she leaned against the counter.

She looked up from wiping the crumbs off the table and noticed her mom and Daryl sharing a look. Daryl was standing close to her mom and she didn't miss the fact that he looked different. He looked kind of miserable and her mom had the same expression on her face. Sophia felt a familiar dread settle in her chest. Whatever this was, it couldn't be good and she knew that it was about her. "I've stayed sober," she said in a strained voice. "You can ask Damon. I haven't touched anything- I-"

Daryl spoke up then. "It ain't got nothin' to do with that, kid. You've done a damn fine job stayin' clean." His voice was off. It was low and rough and...

"Then what's wrong?" She asked, swallowing around a lump in her throat. She felt panic claw it's way up her spine.

"Andrea got the job she's been talking about. The one in Atlanta," Carol said, keeping her eyes trained on Sophia's.

"That's a good thing, right? I don't hate her. I'm happy for her." She felt relieved for a few seconds but they still had that same look about them that told her that her mom wasn't finished.

"She'll be moving to Atlanta. Her lease is up at the house in three weeks and she's going to find an apartment in the city."

Sophia glanced at Daryl but he was looking down, his brows pulled together in a frown. "Okay. But we're both working and we make enough money between the two of us that we can find something. Three weeks isn't a whole lot of time but..."

Carol shook her head. "Sophia, I think that the best thing we could do is go with her. We can start over. I'm sure you'd love the city and you wouldn't have to deal with all the crap at school that we know you have to deal with."

Sophia tried to swallow but she couldn't. Her throat ached and her heart was pounding hard in her chest. She shook her head and then Daryl finally looked up. As soon as his eyes met hers he looked away again, shaking his head slightly.

"Three weeks, even with both of us working, isn't enough time to save enough to cover what it would cost to move. We don't have anything. No furniture. We would have to pay a deposit plus the rent plus the deposits to get the utilities turned on. I think this is the best thing for you."

"Don't," Sophia snapped, shaking her head. "Don't act like this has anything to do with me. I can deal with the kids at school. I can deal with all of it and I swear to God I won't touch another drug as long as I live. Mom, please-"

"Sophia, do you really think it's gonna be that easy if you go back to that school? You don't know-" Daryl didn't finish his sentence.

"Stop pretending like this is for me!" She yelled.

Daryl ran a hand through his hair.

"Daryl, please. Please tell her that I _can_ do this. Tell her that moving me away isn't going to help anyone. I can do it. You've taught me how to do it. I can stay away from that stuff!"

He shook his head but he wouldn't look at her. "This ain't up to me, kid," he said in that rough voice.

Maybe he thought that her and her mom were too hard to deal with. Maybe all the questions she always asked him while they worked got on his nerves or something. Maybe he didn't like how much trouble she was. Whatever the reasons she would do whatever she could to change. "Daryl, please," she whispered, knowing that somehow he was her only hope. Just like he had been the key to get her better when her whole world was turned upside down. When everything was dark and she couldn't see any light at all, he'd helped her.

"Sophia, I swear, this ain't up to me," he said miserably. It was rare for him to use her name. He usually called her kid. It had grown on her.

Sophia shook her head. "I'll get a job somewhere else, okay? I'll stop being so fucking clingy. I'll do whatever I need to do if you just tell her not to do this. I don't want to leave! I need _you_!" She sounded hysterical, even to her own ears but she couldn't help it. She _was_ hysterical. She had finally started feeling like she was gaining some ground. She didn't feel like she were drowning anymore and now it was like fate was pulling the rug out from under her again, forcing that darkness right back. "I won't bother you anymore, okay? I'll be quiet and I won't ask you anything unless I need something. Just don't let her..."

"Jesus, kid, you know it ain't nothin' like that," Daryl said, sounding outraged.

"Sophia," Carol tried to take a step towards her but she recoiled from her.

She needed to get the hell out of here. Go on a walk and clear her head or something. She had to do something other than stand here and listen to this. She felt like she were suffocating and she couldn't blink the tears away fast enough.

She had tried so hard to do the right thing. She had tried so hard to fight the urge to break down and find another source to get pills. She was proud of how far she had come in such a short amount of time. But it had been for nothing. Being around Daryl was like having a real dad sometimes. He always seemed so proud when she did something right and he encouraged her and he made her want to do better. But he didn't want her. She wasn't his daughter and he wasn't her dad. She wasn't good enough, no matter how much he had made her feel like she was.

Before she could make it out of the room Daryl closed the distance, grabbing her hand and hauling her back. "You ain't doin' that," he growled.

She yanked her hand out of his grip and glared. "I get it, Daryl. Okay? I'm not your problem. I'm hers. Stop trying to act like you give a damn."

He looked up at Carol then before his eyes cut back to her. "You're outta line and you know it. If it was up to me then your asses wouldn't be goin' any damn where, all right. Is that what you wanna hear? But I ain't got no place to tell her what the hell to do with you. Why the hell are you blamin' me for this!"

Sophia looked up at him then. "Because I expect stuff like this from her. Maybe I had a little more faith in you. I thought you cared about me." Her voice was so quiet that she sounded like she was six years old again.

"I do, Sophia. You know I do, but so does she and I be damned if I'm gonna stand here and listen to you try to tell me any differnent. She wants what's best for you and so do I! What the fuck do you want me to do?" He yelled.

"What the hell's goin' on?"

Everyone looked up as Damon stepped into the room. He looked concerned and a little confused. Sophia shook her head. "My mom is making another one of her infamous life changing calls. We're moving to Atlanta since I'm such a fucking basket case that I can't get through a day of school here without having a relapse."

Damon glanced at Carol and then his gaze leveled on Daryl and the hurt in the boy's eyes matched Sophia's. "What? They can't just leave! You can't let them just move that far away!"

Daryl threw his arms up, clearly unable to believe that Damon and Sophia were both going to point fingers at him.

"He has nothing to do with it," Carol said suddenly.

Daryl glared at her. "That's startin' to look like some bullshit. I changed my mind. You wanna fight? I'll give you one. You can't take her and move four fucking hours away."

Sophia and Damon shared a look and then they all looked at Carol. She looked stunned as she took them all in.

"Last night you said-"

"Last night I didn't know. Now I know. This is a bad idea. A really fuckin' stupid idea. You can't run from everything. You made the remark that you've been hidin' behind me ever since you got out. Well, what's worse? You hidin' or you runnin'? Cause if you pack up and leave, all you're doin' is runnin'. You're teachin' her to run and I ain't lettin' you do it."

Now it was her throwing her hands up. "And we couldn't have had this discussion last night?"

He shook his head. "Last night I was pissed off. Now I ain't. Last night I didn't know what was best for her. Now I do. You can't leave. You can't stand there and tell me this feels right to you! You can't stand there and act like you can walk away!" He was yelling again.

Sophia felt hope surge through her so fiercely that she almost felt her knees go weak. He was going to fight for her. Maybe he did care. She understood, or tried hard to understand, where her mom was coming from. Her mom loved her and was scared and Sophia was scared too but she knew she could do it. "Mom, I can do this. He's right. Moving is a bad idea. I made the decisions. I did what I did knowing that it was wrong. I still hung around those kids, even when I knew they didn't give a damn about me. I don't want to hide. I don't want to run. I want to get past it. I can do this."

Carol and Daryl's eyes were still locked in a silent battle.

Carol crossed her arms over her chest. "You're only saying this because she's upset. She's upset because she thinks it's going to be horrible. That's not how it's gonna be. She's got a chance to start over."

"I don't fuckin' want you to leave and you goddamn know it!" Daryl barked.

"It doesn't matter what any of us _want_ , Daryl! What matters is what I think is best for her. You told me yourself that I wasn't your problem anymore. Well I'm trying not to be!"

"You've been my problem since the first fuckin' time I saw you! You wanted me involved. You wanted my help. I gave it. I'm the one that's done all the hard shit. She ain't standin' here sober because of you, goddamn it. She's standin' here sober because of me."

"I know that!" She snapped.

"And now I'm sayin' she needs to stay. It ain't right. It ain't right for either goddamn one of these kids and you know it ain't right for me and you."

Sophia and Damon looked as though they were watching a tennis match.

"And what the hell are we suppose to do? We can't afford to take over a new lease on Andrea's house and we won't have enough to get an apartment and don't you dare tell me to get money from Buck. I'm not doing it."

Daryl ran a hand through his hair and looked down at Sophia. Her eyes locked onto his, wide and wet and she saw him come to a decision then. She just hadn't expected it. "Stay here," he said, looking back at Carol.

The room grew completely silent and Sophia felt Damon's hand slip into hers, giving it a reassuring squeeze. The tension grew heavy as silence dominated.

"You can't be serious," Carol said, finally breaking the silence, her voice disbelieving.

"What else are you gonna do?" He countered.

"This is insane!" Carol said quietly.

Daryl shrugged and then glanced at Damon and Sophia again. "Give us a minute."

They both high tailed it out of the kitchen without a backwards glance.


	28. Chapter 28

**Hello! The cold is doing some serious damage to my internet service so this is late. I've managed to have connection for a total of an hour or so since Friday. Hope everyone is staying warm wherever you are! Thanks for reading!**

 **Chapter Twenty Eight**

Daryl had no fucking idea what he was doing. He was winging this. The only thing he knew was that he couldn't stand the look that that kid had been giving him. The accusations and the pain in her eyes had fucked with his head harder than anything else had in his life. And then she had started pleading, telling him that she would try harder to not get on his nerves when in reality he had never seen anyone try so hard in all his life. All the girl did was try.

She tried to make herself better and she tried to keep herself in good spirits. He hadn't been able to stand it anymore. He couldn't stand the thought of her thinking that he didn't care about her. It didn't matter that she wasn't his. It didn't matter that she made things a little harder than they had to be, because he cared. He cared so goddamn much that it hurt and every goddamn day he cared just a little bit more.

And it didn't end with her. God, it would make things easier if they ended with the girl but they didn't end there at all. He cared about Carol too. He didn't want to. He hated it but there wasn't anything he could do about it. The thought of her leaving fucking killed him because it meant that his chances were over. Whatever was happening between them, would come to an end and he couldn't let it happen. He needed to see her every day and he needed to make sure that she was okay and he needed to make asshole jabs at her out of spite. Maybe her and the girl made things more complicated but they also made things better. He felt good when he was with them and he knew that Damon felt the same. The kid adored Carol. It just made sense.

"Do you have any idea what you're asking?" Carol asked, all the fight seeming to drain right out of her.

He shook his head. "No but we have to do somethin' else. She can't go to Atlanta and you can't make it on your own just yet. This is the only thing we can do."

"I can't ask you to-"

"You didn't ask for it, okay. I am. Will you move in with me so your fucking daughter and my cousin don't have a goddamn stroke? Please?" Jesus, what was he doing? If they did this there was no way they weren't going to end up in bed together. And not like they were in bed together last night either. They would tear that whole fucking room apart eventually and then shit was really going to get fucking complicated.

"And you want this?" She asked, disbelief clear as day in her voice.

"Yeah. You ain't as god awful as all the other women I've met and you can cook and Damon wants to marry you. Why the fuck not? It's the best fuckin' thing we can do for them. He needs a woman in his life and Sophia needs me in hers and-"

Goddamn it. Why was she hugging him again? And why did it have to feel so fucking good? And why was it so easy to wrap his fucking arms around her? It shouldn't have been easy at all but it was and it felt right. More right than anything had ever felt before.

"Thank you. I don't even know what else to say. I-"

"What's goin' on?" Damon asked.

Carol pulled away, her wide eyes lingering on his, still in disbelief. Daryl rubbed the back of his neck. Fuck fuck fuck! What was he doing? In what goddamn universe was this situation okay? And it wasn't like he could recant the offer. He'd never do that. He didn't want to do that.

"Can somebody fill us in on what the hell the two of you are up to?" Damon asked again, his patience wearing thin.

Daryl opened his mouth but no words came out. He didn't know why he was so fucking silent now when he probably should have been this silent a few minutes ago.

"I think we're moving in," Carol said after it was pretty clear that Daryl couldn't form words anymore.

"What?" Sophia asked, showing up in the doorway. "Are you serious? When?"

Daryl felt kind of sick to his stomach. Especially when he remembered the conversation that he'd had with Buck yesterday. So he was moving one woman into his house and he was going to go on a date with another woman. He didn't even know what the hell they were! He wanted to screw her, that had been clear for a while now. Yesterday she had kissed him and he had kissed her right back. Last night they had shared a bed, and body heat. They weren't in a relationship, that was clear. But they weren't just friends either. That was just as clear.

Relationship? Why had that word even crossed his mind? He didn't do relationships. He'd never been in an actual relationship in his life. Did she expect to sleep in his bed again? That wouldn't make any sense. Not unless their clothes came off. God, that wasn't a good idea either. No, he was definitely keeping his clothes on, no matter where she slept.

"Are you two movin' in tonight?" Damon asked, looking between them.

"No!" Daryl and Carol both choked. He looked at her sharply. He knew why he couldn't have her move in tonight. He was going to be out with another woman, but why had she been just as quick to say no?

She was eying him just as hard and then she suddenly looked away. Was that guilt on her face? She looked at Sophia then. "It isn't like we need to rush. We have a lot of things to talk about before we start packing our bags. We'll stay at Andrea's tonight and..."

She didn't get to finish her sentence because suddenly the girl's arms were around her, hugging her hard. Carol looked stunned for a second and then hugged her back, her eyes closing as she held the girl. When Daryl looked up Damon was looking at him with an expression on his face that had Daryl feeling like he had made the right call here. God he hoped so.

"Can I stay here tonight? I'll sleep in the other room. I'll even sleep in the basement. It isn't even like a basement at all. Have you seen it? It's like one big huge room."

"I'll take the basement room. Sophia can have my room and then Carol can... Oh. Are you two like a thing, or not? I don't even know what the hell to think anymore?" Damon looked between them.

"We ain't a thing. Jesus," Daryl grumbled, sitting down.

Damon shoved his hair behind his ears. "You know, I'm all for this. This, this is fucking great and all but I think before the two of you move in together, you got some shit to figure out. Like, it's okay to make out and sleep together and all that but it ain't okay to put a label on it? That don't make any sense."

Daryl couldn't even say anything to that because it was the fucking truth. What in the fuck were they? What did he want them to be? What did she want? This was all too goddamn complicated. Maybe if she hadn't kissed him. Maybe if he hadn't been so dead set on keeping her in his bed. Maybe then things wouldn't be so fucked up.

"Sophia can stay if you don't mind," Carol said, turning and busying herself with the dishes.

He wracked his brain. How was he going to be able to sneak off on a date with some stupid ass woman when Sophia and Damon were there? Damn it. "I don't mind." What else could he say? "You gonna stay at Andrea's then?" He asked.

"I... I can come back later on tonight. I have some things to take care of this evening," she said, keeping her back to him. She was tense and he could see it. Did she know what he was doing tonight?

"Yeah, me too. I gotta... I gotta go to the shop and then Buck's and then-"

"Okay, so we'll both be back later then," she said, glancing over her shoulder. She smiled but it was brittle. She totally knew what he was doing but how did she know?

"Sounds good." He glanced at the kids, who were watching them both suspiciously. He wondered to himself what he could do to get the hell out of this. It was already going to cause stupid drama. "You... uh... Did you wanna do somethin' tonight. Maybe I can..."

"No!" She said quickly. "I really do have a lot to do. And I'm also going to look for another job. I'll stay at the shop until I find something else but then I'll go as soon as something comes up."

He frowned. "I thought you liked the shop?" He actually had fun working with her and that was odd because he never had fun at work.

"I love it there but as much as we fight now, can you imagine if we worked together and then had to come home together?"

He snorted. "We ain't that bad."

"Dude, you have a permanent scar on your neck in the shape of her teeth. You two are that bad. Even though I still don't think that was from fighting," Damon offered.

"He's right," Carol said, glancing over her shoulder and offering them a smile. "We really are that bad. So we'll work different jobs. No big deal."

"Right," he said, still trying to talk himself into just calming the fuck down.

~H~

Carol finished the dishes and then cleaned. She really cleaned. It was one of the things that kept her from showing her anxiety. This was insane. Why were they doing this? And what the hell did it even mean? And she was also sure that somehow he knew what she was really doing tonight and she felt bad. She felt confused that she felt... guilty. It wasn't like she was cheating on him.

Jesus, what a mess. Thankfully Daryl and the kids had left the room so she didn't have to act like she wasn't a nervous wreck. She pulled over one of the stools and climbed on top of it so she could clean off the top of the fridge that looked like it hadn't been dusted in years.

She had to dry dust it and then she had to spray it down to finish the job. She hoped he didn't think that she was already overstepping bounds here. This was his house. Hell, she didn't even live here yet.

"That's gross," Daryl muttered when she dropped another grungy paper towel to the floor to pick up when she was finished.

"Is this okay?" She asked quickly, looking down at him.

He shrugged. "If you wanna clean up after our dirty asses then by all means, have at it."

"Daryl, are you sure about this? This is a lot. I mean, this is crazy, right?" She asked suddenly, needing him to reassure her. She hated being that woman. The one that needs to be told that everything was going to work out, but at the moment, that was exactly what she was.

"I don't know," he said, leaning against the counter and shaking his head. "But we gotta try."

She took a deep breath and nodded, gathering up the dirty paper towels and climbing down from the stool. "If we're both willing to try then we'll be fine. We're tough. We're tougher than a lot of people."

The corner of his mouth turned up. "Yeah. We're somethin'. When do you wanna do this?"

She shoved her hands into her back pockets and tilted her head to the side. "When do _you_ want us to do this?"

"I don't know. I figure, you're still livin' out of a suit case over there. You probably want your own room already."

She raised an eyebrow. "Oh, we aren't sharing?"

He looked up sharply and his expression made it hard not to laugh. His ears were red and his eyes looked panicked. "What?"

"I'm kidding. I figure, we can have our own space and all and when we're in the mood, we can just visit each others room." Finally she couldn't hold off on the grin and then he scowled at her.

"You're gonna make this hard ain't you?"

"Daryl!" She glanced around the room before meeting his eyes. "We don't need to discuss things like that in the kitchen. You can save the dirty talk for when it's more appropriate."

He rolled his eyes and pushed off the counter, scowling at her. "You're a horrible fucking woman, you know that?"

She nodded, feeling some of her worry ebb. She could get through tonight and her stupid date with Melvin and then she was home free to build a life out here with him and the kids. Tormenting him was just going to be an added bonus.


	29. Chapter 29

**Hello! We've gotten a lot of snow and stuff and it's really doing a number on my internet service so be patient with me until I thaw out a little! I'll update every chance I get!**

 **Chapter Twenty Nine**

Daryl parked his truck in Buck's driveway and sat there for a few long moments, staring at the house. What the hell was he doing? He didn't have any business at all doing anything he was about to do.

Which wasn't much by any stretch of the imagination.

He was going to take this woman somewhere to get food and then he was going to take her ass back to her Hotel and then he was going to high tail it home, hopefully before Carol got there and then it would be over and he would never have to think about it again.

They had sat Damon and Sophia down right in the kitchen and went over rules. His face flamed just thinking about it. He had actually felt bad for the both of them. He'd just stood there while Carol went on and on about teenage pregnancy and venereal diseases. She was thorough, too. He made a face. The memory of her explaining childbirth and blisters would be burned into his memory for the rest of his life.

But by the end of her speech Sophia and Damon couldn't even look at each other and Daryl couldn't look at them either. After that Carol had cleaned. She pulled out furniture and she dusted things he forgot was even there. She washed all the damn bedding and she scrubbed baseboards. He could tell she wasn't cleaning because she thought him and Damon were a couple of filthy slobs that got a kick out of wallowing in their own muck. She was working off nervous energy.

Having to watch her ass swaying in the air for half the day while she cleaned those baseboards had him ready to work off that nervous energy for her but he had simply left her to her work and he had actually done the yard work that he had lied about doing the day before.

Damon had conned Sophia into helping him haul all of his stuff to the basement. He'd been after that room for a few years now and the kid was ready to set it up.

Carol had left at four, claiming she had things she needed to take care of at Andrea's but when she left she looked completely wired. Jumping at anything he said. And every time she looked at him he saw it. There was guilt in her eyes and he couldn't figure out why it was there. Maybe she thought he really didn't want them there. He'd talk to her about it once they were both home and this awful night was behind him.

He sighed and hopped out of the truck, slamming the door and walked towards the front porch. Unfortunately for him, Piper walked out, her arms crossed over her chest and her eyebrow raised.

He stopped in his tracks and cursed. He hadn't thought about Piper. She'd know exactly what his plans were for tonight and if _she_ knew then Damon would know and then Sophia would know and then Carol would probably bash him in the head with something in his sleep.

"Cheating on your girlfriend? I had more respect for you than that, dude. What the fuck is wrong with you?" She looked more pissed off than he had seen her in a while.

"I'm not cheating on her," he snapped and then he scowled at his choice of words. "She ain't my girlfriend," he amended quickly.

"I'm serious. What the hell are you doing? You got a good thing going, Daryl. I talked to Sophia earlier and she said that-"

"Ain't you the one that threw a fit because of Sophia and her mom? What the hell is this about?"

"I was being a dick. She isn't so bad and Carol is fucking great. Way better than anyone else your brainless ass could find! Hell, I'm the one that found the two of you last night. That wasn't nothing. That was a whole lot of something."

"I have to do this for Buck. We need those sales and what you saw was-"

"You don't let people in like that you stupid bastard! You never have! It's something and you're too stubborn and pigheaded to see it and you're gonna sabotage it with this stunt! I've never seen Damon so happy. Not since we were little. He needs her! "

"Mind your own business, Piper. It ain't like that. Me and Carol ain't a thing. We've never been a thing. This is a favor I'm doing for Buck. I ain't plannin' on taking this chick back to her Hotel and sleepin' with her, okay? With any luck I'll be back home by eight thirty and I won't ever have to think about it again."

"What if you found out that she went behind your back and went out with some man?" Piper quipped.

He snorted. "She wouldn't do th-"

"It's a hypothetical question, Daryl. In your head, right now, Carol hanging off the arm of some guy. Laughing at his jokes. Sharing a meal with him and knowing that when that man looks at her, he's imagining all kinds of dirty things to do to her."

He glared at the girl, trying to force the image out of his mind. How would he feel if she did what he was about to do? And he could claim that it was innocent all he wanted but if that were true then why hadn't he told her about it? He thought back to yesterday when she had kissed him and tried to imagine her kissing some other guy the same way.

"You look like you're about to either puke or fuck something up. Should I step aside now?" Piper asked.

"Look, you know that nothing is gonna happen with that woman tonight. You keep your mouth shut about this okay? If you go blabbing to Damon then all you're gonna do is make my life miserable."

"Too late," she said, raising her chin defiantly.

His eyes widened and his stomach dropped to his feet. "You fucking told him!"

She nodded. "About twenty minutes ago when I heard dad and Buck talking about it. Let's just say, you're gonna have hell to pay when you get home tonight. I don't think I've ever heard him sound so pissed off."

He cursed. "Did he tell Sophia?"

Piper shrugged. "What if he did? It shouldn't matter since you and Carol aren't some kind of item."

He growled and then stepped past her reminding himself that she was little and it wouldn't be right for him to wring her neck. He needed to change his clothes and then get this over with. And then he needed to figure out what the hell was going on between him and Carol because Piper was right. The thought of her doing the same thing he was doing pissed him off to no goddamn end and that wasn't right. He shouldn't feel that way.

~H~

Carol ran a hand through her hair and double checked her reflection in the mirror. She had changed out of the clothes that Andrea had picked out for her.

"Jeans? Really?" Andrea huffed. "And there's a hole in the knee. A hole, Carol. I need to give you tips on how to properly show some skin. A knee hole isn't going to work."

Carol met her eyes in the mirror and then turned around. "I'm not doing this to impress this guy, okay. We need to make that perfectly clear. I'm doing this, against my will, because I owe you. I owe you big. That's it. And I'm really close to calling the whole damn thing off. I can't believe I agreed to this."

"My God, Carol. Listen to yourself! Do you have any idea what this man can offer you and Sophia? Security, social status... a real life. He isn't a bad guy. I don't understand why you are so hell bent on not pursuing this!"

She shook her head. Andrea wouldn't understand and she didn't have the patience to explain it to her at the moment. "Sophia is fine and so am I. I've been there, Andrea, remember? I've been the woman that needs a man around to take care of her and I know exactly how that ends. I'm not saying your friend would be like that but it doesn't matter. He isn't close to what I would be interested in if I were interested in pursuing a man at all. I know exactly what men have to offer and I'm not interested."

"Once we get settled in Atlanta you'll change your mind. Right now you're still thinking small town but that should pass within a month or so. I have faith in you." Andrea grinned.

Carol took a deep breath and blew it out slowly, calming her nerves. "Andrea, I'm not moving to Atlanta. I'm staying here."

Andrea's eyes widened. "What? Carol, do you have any idea what rent is for this house? You can't afford it!"

"I don't mean that I'm staying here in the house. I'm staying here. I've already talked to Sophia and she had a complete meltdown at the thought of moving to the city. I need to do what's best for her."

"What's best for her is getting her away from this town and these people!" Andrea said, anger lacing her voice. "You have the opportunity to change both your lives for the better. Of course she doesn't want to move away! But she's a child and you can't let her use her addiction to manipulate you."

Carol felt a flash of anger and she narrowed her eyes. "That isn't what she did. Not at all. I didn't want to go with you in the first place. Whatever comes, Daryl and I can handle..." She let her voice trail off when she realized what she had said.

Realization had Andrea's eyes going wide. "You don't need a man around, huh? Carol, you can't be serious. Daryl Dixon? I'll admit that he's been monumental in Sophia's turn around and he's been a great friend to you but he shouldn't have any say where Sophia is concerned! For God's sake, he is not that girl's father!"

Carol shook her head. Andrea wouldn't understand and she didn't have the energy to try to explain it to her. "In her mind, he's the closest thing to one as she has ever had. The way he is with her-"

"Carol, I'm serious. He's a great guy for someone that just wants to mess around but you can't seriously think that he's... _father_ material. You're grasping at straws here!"

That anger spiked and she glared. "He dedicated the last six years of his life to raising Damon. He put himself on the back burner for years to try to give that boy a good life and he's done an amazing job. Better than anyone else that could have been put in that position. He sacrifices every goddamn day for that boy. I love you. You're like a sister to me and have been for a long time now but don't you ever question his ability to be a good father to anyone. And no one said that I was looking for that anyway. He's my friend. He's bent over backwards for me since the moment we met. He's the best man I've ever known and I'll be damned if I'm gonna stand here and listen to anyone, even you, try to convince me otherwise. I need you to try to understand that I know what I'm doing."

"Carol, I just want you to think about what you're going to miss out on. So many doors will be open for you. You and Sophia. You can't tell me that one man is worth missing out on all of that."

Carol thought back to last night. How good it felt just being with him. The rush she had felt when he refused to let her get out of his bed. And it wasn't sexual. He wanted her there just to be there. She'd felt safe with his arm around her. She felt... important. She had never felt that way before. _He_ made her feel that way. "Tomorrow morning I'm moving our stuff over to his house," she said, keeping her voice quiet. "I'm not messing around with him. I'm not sleeping with him. I'll have my own room there. This is what we decided was best for Sophia. He understands her. She loves him. I'm not going to argue with you about it because the decision is already made."

Andrea nodded. "Okay. I understand. I just have one question."

"What?" Carol asked, knowing that she didn't want to hear it.

"Did you tell him that you have a date with another man tonight?"

Carol met her eyes and they stared at one another for a long time before Andrea nodded again and walked away. Carol turned, her jaw clenching tightly. What the hell was she doing?


	30. Chapter 30

**It's two for one Thursday! There is a serious storm heading my way that's suppose to last a few days. Since I'm not sure if my power is going to be on for a while I wanted to throw this at you so you won't have to wait forever. Stay safe out there and keep warm! Thank you for reading!**

 **Chapter Thirty**

The woman's name was Brandi with an I. She was in her mid thirties. She loved laying out by the pool and she drove a Corvette. She was a Taurus and a natural blonde. She preferred to vacation in the Bahamas rather than Hawaii because apparently the beaches were better. She spent three years in France studying fashion design. She was a vegetarian and she was interested in pure bred horses. She had an incredible shoe collection and her favorite color was yellow. Twice a week she took ballet classes and she loved hip hop music.

And Daryl wanted someone to hang him from the nearest tree to put him out of his misery. All this bitch had done since he picked her up was go on and on about her goddamn self. He caught himself over and over before telling her to shut the fuck up for five seconds. Why in God's creation would a superficial bitch like this want to do anything with a fucking man like him? He hated Buck Dixon. Hated him with the seething passion of ten thousand hells. He would never forgive him for this.

"So, I was thinking that since this County Fair is going on, we could stop there. I've never been to one of those but I've heard about them. They sound adorable," her chipper voice grated over his nerves and he clenched his jaw.

The fucking fair. Of course she would want to go to the goddamn fair. And how the fuck could a fair be adorable? Like they were about to go see some gigantic, loud, wailing fluffy fucking kitten. Fairs weren't adorable. God, why was he here? "Okay," he muttered instead of voicing any of this.

He jumped when he felt her hand on his knee and he nearly swerved off the road. On purpose. So they would crash into a tree. "You seem nervous," she said in what she probably thought was some provocative voice.

He glanced down at her hand and for some reason he thought of Carol and his stomach plummeted at the feel of this woman's unwanted touch. His teeth slammed together and he swatted the hand off his leg without thinking. "Well, I ain't," he grumbled, pulling into the over crowded parking lot.

She giggled. "Your dad warned me that you were shy. It's okay. I think it's sweet."

He took a deep breath and blew it out slowly. Just a little while longer and he could go home. He could go home and he could tell Carol exactly where he had been, who he had been with and why he had done it.

"Oh how absolutely lovely!" She smiled as she stared out the windshield at the lights from the rides.

He rolled his eyes and got out, walking towards the entrance. He happened to glance over his shoulder and she was still sitting in the truck. He cursed under his breath, tried to get control of his temper and then stomped around the side and opened her door. She held out her hand, like she was too goddamn stupid to know how the fuck to crawl her fancy ass out of a fucking truck.

He tried to drop her hand but she tightened her grip. He even tried to tug it away but she wasn't letting go. He wasn't going in there holding this woman's fucking hand. Her clothes alone were humiliating enough. Everyone was already going to stare at them. He jerked hard and then made a show of reaching into his back pocket for his wallet.

It didn't help. Now she was hanging off of his arm. She looked up and smiled. "Wow. Do you work out?"

He grimaced and shook his head.

"You must be like me then. I was blessed with a great body too."

He closed his eyes and counted to ten in his head before he said something really fucking awful. Like, she didn't have a very nice body at all. Not to him anyway. Her tits were fake and looked like they were protruding out of her neck. Her legs were too skinny and she had no ass. If in some fucking universe he ever did have the slightest notion to fuck this woman he would likely get a splinter from her bony fucking hips.

He opened his wallet just to busy himself with something, anything other than the idiot on his arm and frowned when he saw a folded piece of paper stuffed between a few bills. He pulled it out and unfolded it. It was just a post it note folded in half and he read the words scrawled on it quickly.

 _You really shouldn't leave this lying around. If I wanted I could have robbed you blind and taken you for every dime you had. Then I could have bought myself a burger and small fry. Wow. I didn't know you were this broke. I added a five just in case you needed gas money or something. Don't be ashamed. I can loan you more if you need me to. Xoxo_

He laughed, imagining her smug smile while she jotted down the message and then adding five dollars to his wallet just for good measure. God she was such a dick. He wished she was here...

"You have a great smile."

Maybe she was right but at the sound of her voice the smile was gone. He quickly paid for their tickets and wordlessly led her into the crowd. Maybe her stupid ass would get lost.

~H~

"I've never been to a county fair. It's very quaint."

Carol kept her eyes straight ahead. She couldn't fucking believe that he wanted to come here, of all places. He probably just wanted to walk around and make fun of all the blue collar people meandering about. But she had agreed to this so it was her own damn fault. Well, it was mostly Andrea's fault but that was beside the point. She cleared her throat. "They have great funnel cake," she said, even though she didn't want to say anything at all.

He chuckled. "Oh, I couldn't eat that. I watch my carbs."

Carol tried to picture Daryl counting carbs and she smiled. She'd seen the man eat five biscuits just that morning. And his body was a lot better than Melvin's. Daryl was all hard angles and...

"There's that smile," Melvin said as he parked the car.

She felt it dissolve on her face. She had no business thinking about Daryl. She was a horrible lying ass of a human being. He deserved more respect than this.

Melvin was out of the car but before she could even open the door he was heading to the passenger side. She didn't know why this bothered her so much but it did. It was like he thought she was some kind of dainty lady that expected to be treated like some kind of princess. She could open her own fucking car door. She wasn't crippled. She was a hardened criminal for crying out loud!

She kept her mouth closed and offered him a tight smile. He grinned and she assumed that it had made many women swoon but all it did was make her cringe. She didn't trust a man that smiled so much. With Daryl, she had to work for it. He kept her on her toes. This man just seemed to eager to please.

"So," Melvin began as he opened his wallet and paid for their tickets. "Andrea tells me you won't be joining her in Atlanta. I have to say, I'm sorry to hear this."

"I just think it would be best to stay here. This is where my daughter has lived her whole life."

He nodded, smiling again. "Well, maybe you'll eventually change your mind. I'd love to show you around the city some time. Even if you don't live there, you can always visit."

She forced another smile and headed into the crowd. She felt his hand go to the small of her back as they weaved through the throngs of people and she wanted to speed up her steps to get out from under his touch but there were just too many people in her way. It wasn't like she could take off running away from him.

As soon as they broke free of the crowd she spotted a vendor that sold Italian Ice. "Are you thirsty? I'm thirsty," she said, picking up her pace. It didn't seem to matter how quick she was, his hand still lingered on her.

She felt like the most awful person in the world. The first thing she was going to do when she got home tonight was tell Daryl everything. She didn't know why the hell she hadn't told him to begin with.

"You sure you don't want anything?" She asked.

He shook his head as the vendor handed her a large drink. Before she could pay for it herself Melvin was handing the man some cash. "Keep the change," he said.

She rolled her eyes before he could look at her. What a pompous ass! This was way worse than just going out to dinner. This was complete torture.

"How about we try our hand at some games? I'm sure I can win you a few prizes. I was a bit of an athlete back in college."

Carol arched a brow. She was pretty sure that golf or tennis didn't count as an extreme sport and she was also pretty sure that none of the games here really involved much man power but she'd let him gloat if that's what he wanted to do. Her eyes scanned the area around them and then she saw something that had her smiling. She pointed. "Okay, how about that?"

He nodded and grinned. It gave her the creeps. "I think I can manage."

It was the game you played that measured your strength. You hit the plunger with an over sized mallet and it measured how strong you were. She knew it was a little mean but she couldn't help it. He shrugged out of his sports jacket and handed it to her before rubbing his hands together. It smelled like expensive cologne that had her wanting to sneeze.

Three tries later and he still hadn't managed to ring the bell. He did make it above the wuss line and she acted as though that was impressive. "Don't feel too bad," she said. "They rig these games."

He didn't seem bothered in the least. He was beyond feeling anything but self assured. That was pretty damn obvious. He took her words of encouragement as a sign that it was okay to move on to phase two. He draped his arm over her shoulder and steered her in the direction of the Ferris Wheel.

She was just about to shrug out from under his arm when something happened that had her freezing in her tracks.

Daryl rounded the corner just then, right in front of them. Their eyes locked and for a few long moments he looked as completely surprised as she felt. And then they both seemed to realize other details. Like the woman hanging off of his arm and the fact that he was suppose to be doing something for his father. She saw several different emotions flit across his face. Shock, panic, embarrassment, regret...

His eyes slid to Melvin's arm that was still draped over her shoulder and she saw a spark of anger in his eyes. And then his expression turned to one of complete rage.

She wasn't worried about his anger. She was too focused on the smug look on the face of the girl that was with him. She wasn't jealous. She told herself that over and over but she knew it was a goddamn lie because at the moment she wanted to claw this woman's eyes out and then shove them right up Daryl Dixon's ass.

"What the hell are you doin' here? You're suppose to be with Andrea. Not on a fuckin' date!" He barked.

"Don't you dare tell me what I'm suppose to be doing because this is the last damn place you're suppose to be and she's the last damn person you're suppose to be with!"

"Is there a problem?" Melvin asked, making the mistake of pulling Carol back and stepping slightly in front of her.

This was not going to end well. Not at all.


	31. Chapter 31

**So far so good! Everything is coated in a nice thick layer of ice and now there's a bunch of wet and heavy snow piling up on top of that. But I still have power! So I'm still here for now. Hopefully you enjoy this chapter. Anyone living in the danger zone, be safe out there! Thanks for reading!**

 **Chapter Thirty One**

He was just a few seconds away from ripping this fucking pansy's arms off and beating him with them. Daryl's eyes met his and then he had the satisfaction of seeing the man pale slightly. Carol moved out from behind him, her eyes hard and her fists clenched at her sides as she glared.

"We need to talk," he growled. "Now."

"You might wanna take that off your arm if you want to speak to me because I swear I'm five seconds away from ripping her off myself," she growled.

Melvin looked down at Brandi, his eyes wide. "Excuse me. I think these two have something to discuss." He sounded like he was ready to get the hell out of there. When he looked at Daryl again he seemed to summon up some courage. "I can assure you, if you even look like you're going to cause her any harm I will-"

"You say one more goddamn word to me and I'm gonna feed you your teeth you skinny little son of a bitch. Don't worry about her ass cause she ain't none of _your_ business!"

"Enough," Carol growled. She grabbed Daryl's arm and stormed off, leaving the two people staring after them.

He jerked his arm out of her grip when they were finally semi alone between the fun house and a stand selling Gyros. He rounded on her. "What the fuck are you doing with him?"

She glared. "What are you doing with her?"

"I asked you first!"

"None of your damn business, Daryl. I can't believe I actually felt bad about this. All damn day I've been feeling so guilty and here you were, planning a date with that... Bimbo! Is that the kind of woman you want? Some fake breasted moron with a bad dye job and drawn on eyebrows!"

"You know damn good and well I don't want that woman! And if you felt bad then why the hell did you go out with him?" He barked. Never mind that he had felt the exact same way all damn day.

"You-" She growled and then he yelled when she tipped her cup over his head and the icy drink poured all over him. He slapped the cup out of her hand and then pushed her into the wall, holding her there.

"The only goddamn reason I was here was because Buck asked me to take her out. I ain't here because I wanna be here and I was gonna tell you about it as soon as I got home," he growled right in her face. "Your turn you fucking hypocrite! Why the hell are you with that asshole?"

"Andrea asked me. Now get the hell out of my face," she snapped, shoving at his chest.

He grabbed her hands and shoved them above her head before she could hit him. Because she wanted to and he could tell. "Andrea asked you to? That's real fuckin' original. Was he the reason you were so dead set on movin' to Atlanta?"

"Oh screw you! That isn't true and you know it! You're the one walking around with that anorexic whore hanging all over you and you're throwing accusations at me? Get the hell off me, Daryl!"

He shook his head. "I told you. Buck asked me to do this. Her goddamn dad is plannin' on dropping over a hundred grand in our laps and I was suppose to take her out because she's some spoiled ass daddy's girl. She wanted me to take her somewhere so I did. I ain't fuckin' touched her."

"Were you going to? And don't you dare lie to me," she growled.

"No. Now it's your turn. You let your big shot attorney friend cop a feel?" Even the thought had has temper going to dangerous places.

"Fuck you! How could you even ask me that!" She squirmed and then he felt her go in for the kill shot since her hands were pinned above her head. He quickly shifted so his leg was blocking what would have been a painful blow, his thigh now pushing her further into the wall.

"You ain't doin' that again," he grumbled.

~H~

He was smart. He wasn't going to let her get away with hurting him but hurting him was exactly what she wanted to do. Hurt him as much as he had managed to hurt her tonight. Because seeing him with that woman had made her chest ache. It didn't matter that she was on a date herself. She didn't like that arrogant ass. All she knew was that Daryl had lied and now he was here with another woman. She felt some of her anger fade as she realized that this was getting out of hand. They weren't together so feeling this betrayed didn't make any sense. She had made a complete fool of herself.

"I give," she finally said when it didn't look like he was going to let her go.

He shook his head. "I don't trust you and you know it."

She dropped her eyes, all the fight leaving her. Now she just wanted him to let go of her so she could get away from him. The adrenalin high was wearing thin and she didn't want to fight. "Yeah, I don't trust you either, for what it's worth." Even she could hear the hurt in her voice and she hated herself for it.

His grip loosened and then he reluctantly let go of her hands. He still kept her caged against the wall. "Buck asked me instead of Merle because he knew I wouldn't touch her and Merle would. Alright?" His voice was softer now.

She finally raised her eyes. "I don't care anymore, Daryl. This is stupid. You can do what you want with whoever you want." She felt embarrassed now.

He sighed heavily and dropped his hands, stepping away. "I guess that means you get to do the same."

She looked away, confusion clouding her better judgment but not letting it deter her. "You mean that?"

He nodded, his eyes guarded when she finally met them.

She grabbed his hand then and started walking.

"What are you doin'?" He asked, his voice gruff and resigned.

"You said I can do whatever I want with whoever I want to do it with. I want you to take me home," she muttered, not looking at him for fear of what she would see.

"I can live with that," he muttered, not dropping her hand like she expected him to when they stopped to scan the grounds for their dates.

"I don't think this was a total bust," she said, nudging him in the ribs when she spotted them sitting across the way, chatting like old friends.

"I fucking hope not. If it turns out to be a bust then I lose out on about forty three thousand dollars," he muttered.

She turned wide eyes on him but he was looking at the couple. Before she knew it he was pulling her towards them. She wasn't sure what to say so Daryl spoke up first.

"I'm gonna call it a night. You need a ride home?" He asked.

The woman looked up at him and smiled. "I think my night just got started actually, but thank you for the offer."

Carol glanced down at Melvin. "So, you two are gonna go ahead and stay here?" She asked, feeling a weight lift off her shoulders. She kind of felt bad for the man.

He nodded and glanced at the woman that was nearly sitting in his lap. "It's still early and it's been fun just sitting watching all these... people."

"Well," Carol smiled at him, "Thanks for the... drink. You two have fun."

The twosome was already back to chatting amongst themselves so she felt like it was okay for them to slip out. Daryl was dripping wet and she felt mentally drained. This had been a long day.

"You wanna grab a corn dog or somethin'? I'm hungry," he said as they made their way towards the exit.

She eyed the stand and realized that it was right across from the game that Melvin had failed miserably at. "Can you do something for me first?"

He looked at her suspiciously. "Probably not."

She rolled her eyes and nodded towards the game. "You think you could hit it all the way to the top?"

He snorted. "Are you serious?"

She shrugged. "Melvin made it pretty far. I mean, if you don't want to be embarrassed then I understand."

He narrowed his eyes and then headed that way, dragging her along with him. Just as she suspected he would he nearly knocked the bell off all three times. "There. You happy now? Did I prove my manhood?" He asked as he handed the mallet to the guy running the game. The man handed him a hideous stuffed hermit crab wearing Bermuda shorts and he hurriedly shoved it into her face.

She found herself grinning. "Have you ever thought of counting carbs?"

He scowled. "Yeah, I'll get right on that after I forget that I'm a guy. What the hell is wrong with you? You callin' me fat?"

She shook her head, still not over the incredibly embarrassing scene from earlier, but getting there. She wasn't even going to try to pay attention to the fact that he had been just as jealous as she was. "Lets eat. I think you may have spilled something on yourself. You're in serious need of a shower."

He rolled his eyes and fell in step beside her. "You're a real asshole, you know that?" He grumbled.

She smiled. This was good. Maybe they could just forget that tonight ever happened and go back to being normal. Not that they were even close to being normal. The two of them had to be the weirdest pair on the planet.

Once they were in the truck he handed her a corn dog. "You ever been to Hawaii?"

She shook her head. "I'm afraid of sharks. I've never had the urge to go anywhere like that. I always wanted to visit Alaska though. I wanna see a moose. Why?"

He chewed and stared off out the windshield and then he nodded, his eyes thoughtful. "I wouldn't mind Alaska either. All kinds of shit there I could shoot at. What do you think of Corvettes?"

Shrugging she followed his gaze but there really wasn't anything to see other than the lights from the rides. "I don't know. I'm not really a fan. When I see a Corvette I usually think that there's some sixty year old man behind the wheel trying to impress teenage girls. They're kind of creepy."

He nodded and then started in on his second dog. "I don't like the color yellow."

She laughed. "I don't either." She had no idea if he was actually going anywhere with this strange line of questioning.

He glanced at her. "Don't ever get a boob job."

She frowned and then looked down. Sure, she wasn't blessed with an overly large rack or anything but that never bothered her. She shrugged. "I think I'll take contour over mass. I like my boobs."

He nodded. "Me too." He must have realized what he had said because he stopped mid chew. His eyes widened and he turned his head. "I mean, cause they're real. Fake ones are just... Fuck. I didn't mean that I think about them or anything. I just meant..." He sighed heavily. "Never mind." Even in the dark cab of the truck she could see the tips of his ears burning.

She looked back down at her chest and then back up at him.

"Stop it," he grumbled.

"You like my boobs," she grinned.

"Goddamn it. I can't stand you sometimes."

"For the right price, I'll let you touch one."

"Jesus Christ," he growled, starting the truck and backing out without responding.

"We can play I'll show you mine if you show me yours. You know, if we're home alone and get bored or something."

"God, shut up!"


	32. Chapter 32

**Everything is starting to thaw out here so hopefully we can get back to more regular updates and I can get back to those of you that emailed or messaged! I have other stories to update for today so I'm keeping my fingers crossed. Thanks for reading!**

 **Chapter Thirty Two**

He knew what was waiting for him in the house. Piper had ratted him out, not that it mattered now. Tonight had been a complete disaster. One for the record books as far as he was concerned. When he had turned the corner and looked up to see her standing there he hadn't known what was going to end up happening. He felt like he had just been caught cheating. It was all a big fucked up situation.

He had been expecting Carol to fight but then she had simply given up. He wasn't used to that and it had stunned him for a second. Then he'd realized that it had actually hurt her and that had fucked him all up. The thought had made him feel sick and this confused the hell out of him.

Things didn't seem like they were too bad now. He didn't want to talk about it anymore. He didn't want to try to figure out why he had felt so fucking betrayed when he'd seen her with the man. He didn't want to try to figure out why she had freaked out about him being with another woman.

He just wanted shit to be okay between them. And he wanted a shower. He was sticky and he was drained and he was about to get chewed out by Damon and he wasn't in the mood to deal with anything at the moment.

He followed Carol inside and sure enough Damon jumped up off the couch like he had a spring in his ass. He was glaring and Daryl couldn't remember ever seeing him so pissed off. Daryl held up a hand, stopping the boy before he had a chance to open his mouth.

"I already know what you're gonna say. Before you say it, I caught her at the fair with another man. Now, I'm gonna go take a shower and you can tear her a new asshole first." He stepped around a stunned Damon and nearly ran into Sophia.

"You were both out with other people?" Sophia asked, looking between them, worry causing her to look much older than she was.

Daryl nodded. "Yeah, and your mom dumped her drink on my head. I'm sticky. I'm tired and I'm five seconds away from movin' you myself if you don't get your skinny ass out of the way." He cocked an eyebrow at her.

"Well..." Sophia was still looking back and forth. "Are you two okay now?"

He ran a hand through his hair, grimacing at the stiff feel of it. Were they? He had a strange feeling that the word okay was starting to have a whole new meaning. They were going to be living together. Raising two kids together. Working together. Sleeping in separate beds. And neither of them were allowed to be with other people. "Yep," he said, feeling a headache starting behind his eyes.

"We're fine, Sophia. It was all just a big misunderstanding," Carol said with an uneasy smile.

Daryl sighed as Sophia kept her eyes trained on her mom so he gripped her around the waist, lifted her up and sat her back down a foot from where she'd been standing so he could get to his room and find something to wear that wasn't covered in lemon pulp. He should have bought another drink on the way out and then poured it right on her head.

While he was in the shower he spotted her body wash on the edge of the tub. Hanging from the shower nozzle was a pink puffy ball that had him frowning. Women were fucking weird. He scrubbed his hair twice for good measure and by the time he was dressed he felt a lot better. At least he did physically anyway. He wasn't too much better on the inside. Tonight had been fucked up and it made things with Carol a lot more complicated than they were before. And they were pretty goddamn complicated before all of this.

When he made his way back to the living room he was surprised to find it empty. He found Carol in the kitchen, putting away dishes that she'd left in the dish drainer. He recognized the shirt she was wearing as one of Damon's but he was so much bigger than her that she was wearing it for a night shirt. She stretched on her tip toes to put some glasses away and the shirt raised up in the back, giving him a clear view of her ass that was poured into a pair of lacy looking underwear that were trying to pass as shorts.

He had to swallow several times because his mouth started watering. Maybe it was because the day had been so strenuous on his mental state. Maybe it was because he couldn't rightly recall the last time he'd been with a woman. Maybe it was because it was simply her and that was just the way he was always going to respond to her. Whatever the reason, he found his feet carrying him forward without him telling them to.

The sound of footsteps behind him had him stopping.

"Hey, Carol, you sure you don't wanna bunk with me for the night? I didn't even think about it when I took my bed down there. I don't snore or anything and the beds ain't close."

Daryl turned, looking at Damon who looked like he was ready for bed.

Carol turned, her face reddening. "No, that's okay. The couch is fine."

Damon looked troubled. "I don't mind the couch either."

"I'm not taking your bed. Now go on. Sophia's already asleep," she stepped right past Daryl, gripped Damon by the arm and then hauled him towards the doorway.

"All right. I'll get the other bed up here tomorrow," he said reluctantly.

"I know you will," she said, tucking a strand of hair behind his ear like he was five instead of a teenager that towered over her. "Now goodnight," she grinned.

He nodded and turned around but then he glanced over his shoulder. "You gonna cook again?"

Daryl chuckled.

"I can if you want me to," she said with an indulgent smile that seemed to melt the poor kid.

"Right on," he nodded, cleared his throat, seemed to try to put his bad boy face back on and finally left the room.

She turned then, catching his eye and sighing heavily. "I'm ready for today to be over with," she said.

He nodded. "Don't blame you there."

She kept her eyes on his for a few long moments. He didn't even try to break the contact. Finally she gave him that look. The one that she got when something was chewing at her brain.

"What?" He asked after she didn't volunteer anything.

She glanced at the doorway again before looking back at him. "I made a complete ass of myself tonight and I'm sorry."

He chewed his lip for a second, his face heating up because he had done the same exact thing and didn't want to think about it at the moment. Finally he nodded. "Yeah, me to."

"I don't know why I... reacted that way. I had no right to do that. I think it's just because things have happened really fast and my head is still trying to process it all and-"

"I get it," he said, cutting her off before she could ramble on about it anymore.

"Should we like... set boundaries or something? I mean, you could meet someone that you really like and if you do you can't worry about me freaking out about it. I'm not your wife. I'm your friend and I care about you but that doesn't give me the right to assault you for seeing other women. That was the stupidest thing I think I've ever done. And I've killed a man. That's saying a lot."

He thought about that for a minute. It was true. They weren't together. No matter what everyone else thought. No matter what the kids tried to tell themselves, him and her were not an item. Neither had a claim on the other. She was right. Things were moving fast and it was clouding their judgment. But he couldn't stand there and tell her that he would be okay with her seeing other men. It would be a goddamn lie and if he tried to see another woman, he knew that there would be a repeat of what happened tonight. "I'll tell you what," he said cautiously. "It ain't like you two are gonna be here forever. You're here until you have yourselves enough saved up. Just to keep things from getting weird, we can make a deal not to see other people as long as we live together?"

She shook her head and laughed quietly. "And that isn't weird?"

"It's all I got tonight, woman, work with me," he said, hands on his hips.

She smiled slightly. "Okay. We're not allowed to see other people then. Sounds good to me."

He nodded. "Agreed." It wasn't like he ever pursued women anyway. This was going to be easy for him.

"Well, goodnight," she said, shifting on her feet.

He nodded and followed her out of the kitchen. He wanted her in his bed again but there was no way he could tell her that. He knew it wasn't smart. He didn't care about that though. He just didn't want to make an ass of himself if she didn't _want_ to sleep in his bed again. She grabbed the throw from the back of the couch and shook it out.

"You sure you don't mind sleepin' on a couch again?" He hedged, hoping that he didn't sound like he was wanting her in his bed.

"I hate sleeping on couches but I spent six years sleeping on a steel frame with nothing but a thin mat separating me from the cold metal so really, I feel like an ass for not being more appreciative."

Now he was shifting on his own feet. "You wanna take my bed and I'll take the couch for the night?"

She looked up and smiled. "Or I could just sleep with you. We're grown ups. You aren't unbearably handsy."

A hot flash of anticipation wound down his vertebrae and it took a whole lot to push it away. He wasn't going to have sex with her. They had a whole goddamn lot to figure out before- or if- something like that ever happened. "You just gonna stand there all night then?" he asked with just enough gruff in his voice.

"You sure?" She asked, arching a brow at him.

He sighed and nodded, like she was getting on his nerves. When he turned to head down the hall she turned off the light and then followed behind him. As soon as she was inside he shut the door and then stripped out of his shirt. He hoped that she would follow suit but she didn't. Instead she turned to face him.

"Aren't you worried that this is just gonna confuse them more? They really don't know what's going on."

He shrugged. "Neither do I." He turned off the light because standing there looking at her was too damn hard. He needed to get some sleep and clear his head and maybe tomorrow things wouldn't feel so goddamn crazy. His eyes weren't adjusted to the dark but that was alright because he knew where the bed was. What he didn't know was where _she_ was. Not until he ran right into her anyway.

All he was planning on doing was steadying her. He'd nearly knocked her right into the bed and it was only polite to catch her. She laughed when he steadied her, his hands on her hips. The laugh died quickly when she realized that the front of him was pressed solidly against the back of her. She had turned so when he walked into her he walked right into her back.

Her breath hitched when he didn't move right away. His hands still lingered on her hips, the heat of her body seeping into his hands. He should have moved by now. He knew it. She knew it. With his heart pounding hard in his chest he finally did move. He tightened his grip and he pulled her further against him.


	33. Chapter 33

**This chapter is pretty short but I'll update again tomorrow so you won't have to wait forever. Thanks for reading!**

 **Chapter Thirty Three**

She was having a hard time pulling enough air into her lungs. He kept his room cold but she felt like her body was made of heat. His heart thrummed against her back hard and fast and his fingers flexed, like they were itching to get under her shirt.

"What are you doing?" She whispered.

"I don't know." His voice came out low and smooth. "But I think you should probably tell me to stop."

She almost laughed at that. Instead of telling him anything at all she moved against him. This was completely insane. She should have declined and just went to sleep on the couch. But she'd seen something in his eyes and deep down, she knew what he had wanted.

His breath blew out harshly over the side of her neck. "Tell me to stop, Carol," he whispered, his lips ghosting over the side of her throat.

His voice had an electric jolt sliding through her and igniting a fire low in her belly. "But I don't want you to stop," she managed, barely recognizing her own voice. It was full of quiet desperation. She couldn't stand it anymore. He had to touch her. She felt like if she waited any longer then her whole being would ignite and she would simply burn up. She crossed her arms and whipped the shirt over her head.

He cursed softly and then his teeth met her skin. His hands moved slow over her hips, ghosting over her ribs until finally making it to her breasts, palming them roughly and eliciting a strangled moan from her. She could feel the hard length of him pressing into her ass so she moved against him again.

One hand slid from her breast back to her hip, stilling her and growling low in his throat like a warning that she had no intentions of heeding.

~H~

He'd known this was going to happen. He had known it since the moment she punched him in the face the first time they met.

He'd known that he'd end up in bed with her. He didn't know how he knew but here they were. He had done what he could to avoid it but there was no way. Her back was still to him so he moved back just enough so he wasn't pressed against her anymore. He pushed her towards the bed and she didn't need much urging before crawling up onto the mattress. Now she was on her knees, her back still to him and he wasn't planning on stopping if she wasn't going to tell him to.

He ran one hand up her leg to the juncture of her thighs, his fingers exploring her through the material of her underwear. Her back was still flush against his chest and finally she reached up, gripping his hair hard and angled her head so she could kiss him. The painful grip on his hair had him retaliating, putting more pressure between her legs. His breath stuttered out of him when she rolled her hips into his hand and then he felt a rush of wet heat against his palm.

"Fuck," he growled, roughly turning her so she was facing him now. He wrapped one arm around her, forcing her onto her back as he moved them further onto the bed. When he settled there between her legs she forced him to raise up, bracing himself with his arms as her hands trailed down to undo his pants. His mouth hungrily devoured hers and the way she kissed him back had his head spinning. It was like she couldn't get enough. He knew the feeling.

His button was suddenly undone and her hand quickly slipped into his pants, gripping him firmly a sound of surprised satisfaction in the back of her throat. He had spent an embarrassing amount of time fantasizing about this and the feel of her hand on him had him groaning into her neck. He reached down, gripping her wrist and pulling her hand away, locking it over her head.

Her hips came up then, grinding against him hard as she struggled to get his pants down with her feet. He couldn't help it. He laughed low next to her ear. "You're over eager," he whispered, his voice rough. "We got all damn night."

Her fingers tangled into his hair and she forced his lips back to hers. She kissed him hard, almost angrily as her body moved under him. Her breath hitched and he realized then that she was already close. She was goddamn close and he hadn't even had a chance to even do anything yet. He was still mostly dressed. He hadn't even gotten her out of her underwear. It was a heady experience.

He raised his head, bracing himself on his arms as he rolled his hips into her. His eyes widened in the dark when she made a sharp sound and her legs wrapped around his waist.

"This is really stupid," she breathed.

"Mmhm," he hummed as his mouth trailed down her throat. It was stupid. Very fucking stupid. Like shit wasn't already fucked up enough. But goddamn it, she was so close and he hadn't even really gotten to touch her yet and they really did have all night and they were both grown. It had been a long time for both of them so why not just do it? He moved over just a little and she made a frustrated sound, trying to follow his body with hers. But he stopped her, his hand pressing down on her lower stomach, stilling her.

She got the hint and stopped, her breath coming heavily. He dropped his head running his tongue over the swell of her breast before reaching the peak. Tracing her nipple with his tongue he slid his hand into her underwear. He ran his fingers over her slowly, exploring her thoroughly, causing broken sounds to escape her before finally pushing two fingers into her.

She was warm, wet and already trembling, causing his dick to strain painfully against his pants like some sort of caged beast. He groaned, she gasped, his teeth grazed her nipple as he put just a slight pressure on her bundle of nerves with the pad of his thumb. That was all she needed. The muscles inside slammed around his fingers and he knew how goddamn good it was going to feel once he was able to get inside of her. Her back arched slightly and though she tried hard to breath through it without a sound, a few times a muted cry would escape her. He abandoned her breast and kissed her hard. He didn't stop until she was pushing weakly at his hand.

He raised up, forcing his breathing to even out and his heart to slow down. He hooked his fingers through the waistband of her underwear. Just a few seconds before he was able to slide them down her legs and finally sink into her three loud knocks sounded at the door.

He glanced over his shoulder and sure enough, he could see the hallway light seeping through the crack under the door. "What!" He snapped.

"Hey... er... Buck and Merle are here. They've been bangin' on the door for ten minutes," Damon said from the other side.

Daryl growled. "Tell them to go the fuck back home!"

Carol shoved his hands away and scrambled out of the bed. Daryl collapsed, his face hitting the pillow hard. Of all the goddamn times those two sons of bitches could have shown up at his door, why did it have to be now? He'd been so fucking close!

"Get up!" Carol hissed.

He could hear her scrambling to get dressed. "I am." And that was the damn truth. He'd never been so hard in his whole fucking life. He heard the click of the lamp but stayed where he was. It wasn't like he could go out there and this thing wasn't going away until he was able to do something with it.

Damon was still there. "Were you serious? I don't think they'll leave," he called through the closed door.

"We're coming," Carol said quickly.

"That's fucked up, Carol," Damon mumbled from the other side of the door.

Daryl almost laughed but he couldn't. He was going to stab those bastards. He just didn't feel like doing it with a raging boner.

"Daryl, I can't go talk to them alone."

"I need a minute," he mumbled into the pillow.

"We don't have a minute!" She slapped his ass harder than was necessary.

Damon tapped on the door again. "Look, I'm just gonna go tell them you're doin' it and you ain't comin' out till you're finished. I'm sick of standin' out here like a creeper."

"Here," Carol said quickly.

He turned his head and she tossed him a shirt. He raised back up onto his knees and adjusted his pants, tucking himself into the waistband and then pulling the shirt on over his head. He took one look at her and knew that they were going to know. If they didn't get the hint by how long it was taking them to get out there then they would know as soon as they saw her. Her eyes were wide and way too bright, her cheeks were tinged pink and her lips were slightly swollen and red. Dressed in one of his old tee shirts and boxer shorts he didn't think he'd ever seen anyone more sexy in his life.

She went to the door but glanced over her shoulder, offering him an embarrassed smile before she slipped out.

He shook his head, ran a hand through his hair and got up. He glanced at himself in the mirror staring at himself for a few long moments before he sighed heavily. "What the fuck are you doin'?" he asked.

His reflection stared back at him. He shook his head again and stormed out, preparing to deal with Buck and Merle's outrage. In all of the excitement he forgot that he had probably ended up costing the shop a ton of money tonight.


	34. Chapter 34

**Merle is a sick bastard in this chapter. Just warning you now. Lol Thanks for reading!**

 **Chapter Thirty Four**

She stood there for a few seconds with her back to the door, catching her breath and hoping she didn't look like she had been in there messing around with Daryl.

Messing around? That was more than messing around. God, that was so much more than messing around. She shook her head, trying to rid herself of thoughts of how good that had felt. How much better it would have felt if he had been able to...

She shook her head harder, cleared her throat and then walked down the hall towards the light seeping into the living room from the kitchen. As she passed the open door to Sophia's room she glanced in. Piper, Damon and Sophia were all three sitting on the bed, talking in low voices. They all looked up.

Sophia looked away quickly but Carol didn't miss the smile on her face. Damon was chewing his lip, at least trying to pretend that he hadn't heard anything. Piper grinned and she looked so much like Merle in that moment that Carol flushed and looked away from the girl's knowing green gaze. God, what the hell had she been thinking?

She found them in the kitchen, both men standing there with their arms crossed over their chests but she couldn't gauge their mood from where she stood in the shadows. She took a deep breath and then breezed into the kitchen, pretending like everything was normal. But nothing was. Things were very far from normal.

"Told you we wasn't wakin' anybody up," Merle said, elbowing Buck.

"Where's Daryl?" Buck asked, ignoring his oldest son. He looked her over slowly and raised a brow. "You spend the night here often?"

"He'll be out in a minute. Is something wrong?" She asked, ignoring Buck's other question and hoping she wouldn't have to listen to anymore of Merle's commentary.

Buck shook his head. "Not really. We didn't expect him to have... company tonight. We especially didn't know you all would be in bed."

She sat down at the table, wishing Daryl would hurry up, but then again, she knew as soon as she saw him that she would blush furiously and then Merle would pounce. He sat down across from her and grinned. She looked away, her jaw clenching.

They all looked at the doorway as Daryl stomped into the room. He went straight to the fridge and pulled out a bottle of water. "What the fuck are you two doin' bangin' on a man's door this late?" He looked annoyed and she didn't blame him. She felt bad for him actually but she was almost relieved that they had been interrupted. Then again, he'd managed to get her off before they were forced to leave the room. She'd be mad too.

"It ain't even eleven yet," Merle said, leaning back in his chair. "'Sides that, you don't look much like a man that's been woke up either. You two havin' a nice time back there?"

Daryl turned, eyes narrowed on his brother as he drank half the contents of the bottle before sitting it on the table in front of her. She hadn't realized that she was parched until she was reaching for it. "Went to bed early. And you didn't answer the question." He didn't sit down. Instead he leaned against the wall, close to Merle's chair.

Buck eyed him and then his gaze slid over to Carol. "Heard about what happened tonight."

Carol looked away from him quickly. She knew that they would know what had transpired at the fair tonight. Of course they would be coming here furious. She had managed to cost them a small fortune. She'd be lucky if he wasn't here to fire her.

Daryl snorted. "Come on! Have you met that fucking woman? You should have known that I wouldn't have been able to pull that off! She's a goddamn joke!"

Buck raised a brow. "Actually she said she had a great time until you ran into your cheating girlfriend and then all hell broke loose."

Carol groaned and then scooted down further in her seat as Merle chuckled.

"You both went out with other people and managed to end up at the same damn place? Talk about an eventful evenin'. You ain't used to the drama, baby brother."

Daryl shook his head, met Carol's eyes briefly and then looked at Buck. "It ain't like I planned it. Shit happens. I'm sorry about the money. Trust me, I coulda used it too. Next time you can pimp Merle out. It's less complicated."

Merle nodded. "I told him you would fuck it all up. I bet you didn't even try to fuck her."

Daryl looked down, glaring. "I wasn't interested in fuckin' her. Just shut up, Merle."

Merle snorted. "You ain't interested in fuckin', huh?" He glanced up at Daryl and then she watched in horror when he quickly grabbed Daryl's hand. Before anyone could react at all his tongue snaked out, licking Daryl's middle finger. "Why's your finger taste like high quality pussy then?"

"Merle!" Buck yelled right before Daryl shoved Merle's head back so hard it put a dent in the dry wall.

"What the hell was that for?" Merle grumbled, rubbing the back of his head. "I was makin' a point! He told you him and Carol wasn't a thing but you know that's bullshit!"

"Oh my God," Carol sunk a little lower in her seat. "You did not just do that. You're disgusting."

Merle winked. "And you taste pretty goddamn goo- Ouch! You little bastard!" Merle yelled when Daryl hit him again.

"Merle, what the hell is wrong with you!" Buck roared.

Just her luck all three kids showed up. "What's going on in here?" Damon asked, his eyes going to Carol.

She shook her head.

"Merle's a lewd piece of shit. Go back to bed," Daryl grumbled, leaning against the wall and crossing his arms over his chest.

Merle chose that moment to throw an elbow and Carol winced as Daryl doubled over. It had hit him right in the balls.

"That's enough! Goddamn it!" Buck growled. "Here. This is why we're here. Seems like that girl ended up havin' a fine time with Carol's date. Her dad bought the bikes. We just came here to give you your check."

Daryl was still bent over, his hands braced on his thighs. It was hard to believe that these men were grown. It was like watching a couple of children. Daryl nodded towards Carol so Buck handed it to her, since he was still trying to catch his breath.

Without thinking she glanced at the check and then did a double take. "Jesus," she muttered.

Buck nodded. "It was a good sale. And at least he tried."

Piper spoke up from the doorway. "I'm not going home with you two dickweeds. I'm spending the night. Damon's finally got the basement and there's two beds down there for now."

Daryl slowly raised up but he still looked a little green. "We got the sale?" He asked, his voice thin and pained.

Buck nodded. "Yeah, and trust me. I won't be askin' your ass for anymore favors. It's pretty damn clear that neither one of you know what the hell is goin' on and till you figure it out, I'm callin' it like I see it. You ain't single. Shouldn't have gone on no damn date anyway. All you had to do was tell me that it'd cause trouble at home."

Daryl rolled his eyes and Buck patted him on the shoulder as he walked by.

"Put some ice on it, little brother. You'll be fine," Merle grinned as he left the room.

"I fuckin' hate him," Daryl groaned, sitting down and gingerly cupping his injured crotch.

Carol kind of hated him at the moment herself but she didn't say anything about it. It was actually a good thing Merle did what he did. She didn't understand it. Why the hell couldn't she just stop? Stop thinking about him like he belonged to her, because he didn't. No matter how they acted or what they had done, they weren't together. They fought all the time and when they weren't fighting, they were apologizing for fighting. It was ridiculous to...

"I think if I don't lay down I'm gonna puke," he muttered.

"That bad?" She asked, standing up.

He leaned his head back and eyed her. "Yeah."

"Do you want me to kick him in the nuts when we get to work tomorrow?"

He smiled but then he grimaced, looking down at his crotch. She offered her hand and he took it, standing up slowly. Sophia had escaped to the basement with Piper and Damon so her bed was empty. Now she wasn't sure if this meant that she should go to that room or if she should follow him to his. She didn't think they would be picking up where they had left off before Damon had interrupted and she wasn't sure how she felt about that.

On one hand, she wanted him. It seemed more than just that though. She felt like she _needed_ him and that was a very different feeling than mere want. It wasn't just a need to have sex with him either. She needed to be close to him. She needed to know he was there. She needed to feel like he needed her and that sent her heart flying in fear. Fear because she hadn't felt that for Ed. Not even when things had been at their very best. And she didn't know what this meant. She didn't _want_ to know what this meant.

What _were_ they? Why were lines so blurred? She didn't pause at the open door to the other room because she didn't want to. She realized that her hand was still in his and he hadn't dropped it so she could sleep somewhere else. It was like he didn't even realize that he still had a grip on her hand as he grumbled to himself about his ball busting brother.

Like her being in his room was the most normal thing in the world as he kicked the door shut behind him. He pulled his shirt off and tossed it on the floor. She rolled her eyes and picked it up, tossing it in the hamper by the closet.

"Goddamn perverted fucktard," he grumbled, more to himself than to her. "Always gotta be fuckin' with somebody, namely me. He's like a teenager. Who the fuck _does_ that? Just elbows somebody in the nuts?" He was moving slower than usual when he crawled under the blanket.

"You'll get him back," she said.

He sighed and shoved his arms under his head. "Yeah, I guess."

She crawled in next to him, wanting to talk about what they had done and what it all meant but knew that it would just make him uncomfortable. She was tired anyway. It had been an eventful day and she really just wanted to sleep. She laid on her back, unable to relax because he was so close and she wanted to move closer.

Finally she couldn't resist the urge anymore and rolled into him. He was on his back, probably because if he tried to sleep any other way his balls would just ache more. Her head went to his shoulder, her face pressed into his neck and then his arm went around her. She smiled sleepily, breathing in his scent as her fingers drew random patterns over his chest.

She fell asleep quickly, the steady beat of his heart under her palm.

She wasn't sure how long she slept before she was jolted awake by a disturbing dream. She tried to grasp it as she blinked up at the dark ceiling but it was slipping away. She remembered that her father was there and she remembered Ed was there but that was about it.

"You alright?"

She turned her head. She must have woke him up. "Sorry. Bad dream I guess." She burrowed further into the thick blanket and rolled over. She expected him to go right back to sleep, since she could tell by the sound of his voice that he wasn't even all the way awake.

He surprised her when he rolled into her, his arm banding around her and pulling her closer. "What kinda bad dream?" He muttered.

She smiled to herself, that cold feeling disappearing. "Nothing that matters now."

"You want some hot chocolate or somethin'? Damon used to have nightmares and I'd have to drag my ass out of bed. Always worked for him."

Her smile morphed into an outright grin. "You're so sweet when you're half asleep."

"Fuck off, Carol," he mumbled. "I ain't sweet."

"You just offered to get out of bed and make me hot chocolate. That's sweet."

"I'm gonna get up and make some and then I'm gonna pour it on your head. Shut up and go to sleep. You're a dick."

She laughed, covering his hand with her own and pulling his arm further around her.


	35. Chapter 35

**Sorry for the delay! Thanks for reading!**

 **Chapter Thirty Five**

Damon stretched and then sat up on his elbows. The smell of cinnamon and vanilla had permeated his dreams and pulled him from sleep. Sophia was asleep on his bed and Piper was asleep in the bed on the other side of the room. It wasn't smart to let Sophia sleep in the bed with him but he hadn't wanted to tell her to get out.

It was weird. It didn't matter that he was damn near grown and had gotten along just fine with things being the way they were. Just him and Daryl doing what him and Daryl did. Their lives had been pretty laid back and he liked what they had. But ever since Carol had come into their lives, fists flying, things had changed. He liked having her around. He liked that she fussed over him. He liked that, with her there, it felt like he had a real family. Not just a cousin that was burdened with the responsibility of raising him but a real family.

Carol would never be able to replace his mom. He'd never disrespect his mom's memory like that. It wasn't like that at all. Just like Daryl hadn't replaced his dad. That didn't mean that Daryl wasn't basically just that. A father figure. A man to guide him in the right direction. So he didn't feel guilty that he was going to do everything he could to keep Daryl from fucking this up for him. It didn't matter how old he was, he wanted a fucking family. A real one.

That meant that he should be looking at Sophia like she was his sister. But he wasn't looking at her like that at all and he hadn't been since the first night she had stayed in their house. At first he'd just wanted to help her. Now, to his dismay, he simply wanted her. Period. And he couldn't just turn shit like that off or he would. This was a complication. And there wasn't a damn thing he could do about it.

Sophia sober was a totally different person than the girl he had talked to in the days that followed that stupid party. She was smart and she was funny and she was surprisingly shy. The drugs had turned her into someone else. This girl, the one he had grown to know without the drugs, was proving to be someone that he couldn't get out of his head.

He crawled over her, glad Daryl hadn't come down to get him up. Last thing he needed was another goddamn complication. He followed his nose up the stairs and right into the kitchen.

~H~

Daryl was glad that there wasn't any heavy awkward tensions hanging in the air. Carol discovered a waffle iron in the back of the pantry and she had put it to use. Piper was coming around. Her running commentary kept everyone laughing and it kept him from over thinking things.

He'd woken up this morning to Carol trying to untangle herself from him. He'd quickly let go of her, rolled over and gone right back to sleep. He hadn't been ready to face anything yet. But now it seemed like things were smooth.

And then the kids bailed before he was able to finish eating. So that left the two of them sitting at the table, picking at their food and not knowing what the fuck to say to each other.

"I don't want to look for another job. I like my job," she said with a frown, looking up from her coffee.

Okay. This was an easy topic. He shrugged. "Then don't get a new job. You're good at what you do. I don't think things have been that smooth at the shop since I was a kid."

She pursed her lips and finally raised her eyes. "Maybe we can just change our hours? I can work day shift so I can be home to make sure the kids get fed and the house stays clean and you can work a later shift?" She got up then and started clearing off the table.

He frowned. He hated the night shift. The only reason he was doing it now was because it was slower and he was able to work with Sophia more. But once school started back up she wouldn't be there as much. "How bout we switch to day shift and if one of us stabs the other after a week or so then we can talk about changin' it up. Merle and Buck are usually the ones on nights."

She turned and caught him backing towards the doorway. She sat down the stack of plates and put her hands on her hips. "Are you about to hide from the dishes?" She tried to look severe but then she grinned.

He shook his head. "You're the one that wanted to cook and you're the one that uses the real plates."

She rolled her eyes. "You really think we can work together?"

He shrugged. "We don't really see much of each other. I'm in the back. You're in the front. We'll get your shit today before work, Damon can bring that bed up here, you can have your own space. We won't be seein' much of each other at all." He somehow ended up next to her without even thinking about it, glumly rinsing the dishes she handed him.

She bumped his shoulder with her own. "You'll miss me then. You put on a gruff front but you're actually a cuddler. It's cute."

He felt his face heat up. "Shut up." He glanced at her, expecting her to be grinning but she wasn't. She was paying close attention to the plate she was washing and her expression was a little... sad.

"When I was little my parents were kind of... I don't know. Aloof is probably the word I would use. My dad was strict. He didn't really pull any stops when it came to discipline. I don't mean that he was abusive exactly but he was much more rough than he could have been. My mom sort of just went along with whatever he decided. It was kind of cold. There wasn't any warmth there. I got used to that. It was just the way people were, or so I thought."

He rinsed and listened and didn't say anything. He wasn't sure where she was going with this but he found himself wanting to know more. Who she had been before her marriage and before she'd gone to prison.

She shrugged. "Anyway, I met Ed in high school. He was popular. He was a big football hero. You know the types, I'm sure. When he noticed me I fell right for every crap line he had. He'd been sweet. Attentive. He was so..." she shook her head, "Understanding."

He already knew how that worked out for her. He stayed silent.

"Gradually he got bad. After we got married he turned into a goddamn tyrant. He was worse than my dad had ever been. I was always braced for a fight. I was a punching bag. I never knew when or why I was going to get my head rattled. But looking back, even when things were good, it was still cold. No warmth. I still felt as alone as I did when I had been a little girl. I never felt like I was safe."

He scowled, not for the first time, wishing the cock sucker were still alive so he could kill him himself.

"So, I'm not teasing you. I like it. I like feeling safe like that. I'm not weak anymore but sometimes I still feel like I'm waiting for the hammer to fall. I'm waiting for some kind of pain. I don't feel like that when I'm around you. I like going to sleep at night knowing you're right there and you wouldn't let anything or anyone... I mean, I feel like anything that comes at me... I... You make me feel safe. And I've never felt that way. Ever. I never felt safe when I was a defenseless little girl and I never felt safe with the man that I married. God knows I never felt safe in prison but with you... What I'm trying to say, and failing miserably, is that, even when we fight, even when you're so mad at me that you want to smack me in the head, I still feel that... " Her face flamed and she shook her head. Her eyes grew wide. "Jesus, I don't know why the hell I just told you that."

He didn't know why she told him that either and it wasn't doing anything to make their odd situation less complicated. "Ain't nothin' wrong with that. Guess everybody wants to feel that way."

The corner of her mouth turned up and she shook her head. He didn't know what else to say so they finished in silence. He almost wished that she hadn't told him that because hearing it had him feeling... good. Knowing that someone felt that way just because he was there was a strange experience. And she was right. If anyone ever tried to hurt her he'd probably skin them alive. No matter what they were, or weren't, he cared about her. He cared about her a lot.

"Look at this domestic shit," Piper said from the doorway.

Daryl tensed and glared at her from over his shoulder. She grinned and hurried out of the room.

"She's a hand full," Carol said, leaning her back against the counter.

He snorted. "That she is."

"You ready to get this over with? I think Andrea is still upset so if she acts like a bitch, don't take it personal. She thinks I'm making a mistake."

He nodded and met her eyes. "And what do you think?"

"I think I'm doing the right thing. I think it'll get rough when summer is over but by then we'll have something figured out. If those kids try to make it hard on her then we'll just go in there and rough them up."

He shook his head but he was glad to see that she was one hundred percent ready to face whatever was coming. He just wondered if he was.

~H~

She was reluctant to get out of the truck when they pulled up into Andrea's driveway. She had already brought her suitcase to Daryl's but Andrea said she needed to downsize and there were some things that she wanted her to go through in case she wanted it. What Carol didn't take Andrea was dropping off to charity.

She felt a little raw after spilling her guts all over the breakfast dishes this morning but it had felt good to let it go. He needed to know that he was a lot more than what she let on most of the time. If her ever growing feelings for him scared him off then at least she could say that she had been honest. With him and with herself.

He hadn't touched her. She wasn't sure what the day was going to bring after what they had done the night before. She was going to try to put a little physical distance between them. At least until they made a conscious decision to put some kind of name on their relationship. They were quickly on the road to becoming what the kids called 'friends with benefits' and she wasn't about that. Not at all. But she also wasn't sure what she was ready for. The thing that scared her the most was, if they did this, if they started a physical relationship, and it changed them somehow for the worse, what would that do to the kids? If they actually took that leap and had sex and then things didn't work out between them, that would be devastating to Sophia and Damon.

"You just gonna sit here?" He asked.

She glanced over and rolled her eyes. "No, are you?"

He shrugged. "Maybe. I don't like your friend much."

She laughed, shoving her unease to the back of her mind for now. "I think the feelings are mutual. And I hate to say it but that isn't Andrea's car."

He looked out the windshield and scowled. "What the fuck is that asshole still doin' in town? Ain't he got some kinda big important job somewhere?"

She shrugged. "I don't know." She glanced at him and then grinned. "You're so jealous. I don't even like him. He counts carbs and he couldn't even ring the bell on the tough man thing."

He snorted. "Pussy. Your friend can pick'em, can't she? Sophia woulda ended up kickin' his ass anyway. You're a lot better off."

She laughed at that and then the door opened and Andrea stepped out with Melvin. Carol groaned. "So much better off."

He laughed and hopped out of the truck. Before she could open her door he reached back in and grabbed her hand, yanking her roughly out of the driver's side. The truck was lifted and she nearly cried out, thinking she was going to fall on her face but he caught her around the waist. She barely registered Andrea and Melvin looking up and then her mind went completely blank because suddenly, Daryl kissed her soundly right on the mouth.

When she pulled back his eyes were narrowed on hers, like he was challenging her. She could almost see more lines getting blurred as she reached up, gripping him by the back of the head and pulling his face back towards hers. She kissed him back quickly and then shoved him hard, causing him to stumble back a few feet. He grinned and then turned, walking towards the porch.

Andrea was standing there with her mouth hanging open and her pale eyes wide. Carol just smiled and shook her head, following him up the steps.


	36. Chapter 36

**Chapter Thirty Six**

Melvin didn't linger and Daryl was slightly disappointed. Andrea, however, followed them around like she was worried he was going to steal something. He ignored her but Carol seemed a little annoyed.

"I have too much crap," Andrea said, her arms crossed over her chest as she scowled at the assortment of boxes and furniture that littered what had once been her spacious dining room. "The TV that was in Sophia's room can go if you think she'd want it. I wish she had came with you. I'd like to see her."

Carol nodded towards the television Andrea pointed to and Daryl wordlessly picked it up to take it to the truck. He wanted to get this over with as fast as he could. He'd rather buy the girl a TV than have to look at Andrea. But he didn't say a word. There wasn't a whole lot that Carol seemed to need so it wasn't going to take them much longer.

He probably shouldn't have kissed her like that but he didn't really care anymore. She hadn't had to kiss him back but she had. He'd mostly done it because Melvin was watching and he knew it. It was a cave man move. It was the equivalent of pissing on her damn leg to mark his territory and she wasn't his property. He didn't know what the hell she was.

Before he stepped back into the room he heard Andrea's droning voice and paused when he heard his name.

~H~

"You said you weren't sleeping with Daryl Dixon."

Carol rolled her eyes. "Why is my sex life, or lack thereof, any of your business?"

"Because I'm worried about you. Both of you. I saw how rough he was with you that night in the parking lot. I saw the bruises he left on your wrists too."

"Are you forgetting how hard I kicked him in the nuts? And I had bruises on my wrists because he was trying to keep me from hitting him!" Carol sad, trying hard to not sound as angry as she felt.

"Carol, what if he's just like-"

"Don't you dare fucking say that," Carol snapped. Why in the hell couldn't Andrea just stop? Why did she have to keep on pushing her?

"What is it about this man? I want to understand. Is it because he's good looking? There's plenty of other good looking men out there, Carol. One just left, actually and he has a lot to offer. More than slamming you up against a car like you're some kind of grown man. You've been through this before."

The silence fell between them, thick and tangible. Her pulse quickened with her anger and she dropped the sheet that had been folding. "I think we're done here," she said in a low voice.

Andrea ran a hand through her hair and looked away. "I'm sorry. I know we've been through this before but can you at least understand why I'm worried? Please, at least try."

Carol shook her head. "I've defended him to you before. I'm not wasting my breath again. I just want to make one thing clear here. As far as I'm concerned, our friendship depends on you. If you ever insinuate something like that about him again, I'm done. From now on, any opinion you have of that man, the man that has so far undone six years worth of damage to my daughter that _I_ caused, you keep it to your damn self. I don't expect you to understand it because you know nothing about us. You haven't bothered to learn. You know nothing about him or his family or the things he is willing to do for me and a child he barely knows. I appreciate everything you've done for me and Sophia. I love you for taking her in and standing behind me through all of this. I really do and I hope you know that. But I won't let you say those things about him."

Andrea met her eyes, a look of surprise on her face. "You're in love with him," she stated in disbelief. "I can't believe I didn't see it."

Carol scoffed and picked up the sheet she'd dropped. "That's ridiculous."

"Carol, I've been your friend for a long time. I very long time. I know you better than anyone and-"

"Stop," Carol shook her head, feeling something like panic clawing up her throat. "He's a good man. A great man. He's helping me and Sophia. He's my friend."

"Okay. I've just never seen you get so upset when someone talks badly about any of your other friends. You do realize you just threatened to cut me off, right? We've been like sisters since we were thirteen years old and you just said you weren't going to be my friend anymore if I didn't stop talking about your boyfriend. If you ask me, you've regressed. You're such a child."

This was Andrea's way of letting it go. Carol looked up, meeting her eyes and could see that the woman regretted what she had said.

"I'm always going to worry about you," she said softly, a small sad smile on her face.

Carol nodded. "And it's always going to get on my nerves." She smiled back and that was that. She was relieved too. Andrea and their friendship meant a lot to Carol and she didn't want her moving away on bad terms. But she had meant what she said. If Andrea couldn't keep her mouth shut about Daryl then she would give her the frostiest cold shoulder in the history of cold shoulders.

~H~

Daryl had high tailed back outside. He couldn't believe Andrea would say that about him. Like he'd ever fucking hit Carol. Like he'd hit any woman! He had stayed long enough to hear Carol tell her off but then he'd stalked back out the door. She'd done a hell of a job putting Andrea in her place but now he was worried.

She had told him about how things had turned out with her husband. He'd been a pretty decent guy too, in the beginning. Maybe Andrea put ideas in her head. Maybe she thought that he was capable of doing the same things Ed had done. Hell, he really had roughed her up a few times, even though it was all in self defense.

He didn't know why the hell it bothered him so goddamn much. Surely Carol knew he wouldn't ever hurt her. Not really. Not like her husband had. He ran a hand through his hair and stood up just as the front door opened and Carol stepped out. She didn't seem upset. Not until she met his eyes. She frowned and pulled the door shut.

"You ready?" He asked gruffly.

She glanced at the closed door and then back at him, nodding. "Yeah. There isn't really anything else I can think of that we can use. Your house is pretty full already and everything from Sophia's room is already in the truck." He could tell that she was studying him as she spoke.

He nodded. "Good. Let's get the fuck outta here then."

"What's wrong?" She asked.

He shook his head. "Nothin'. Lets go drop this off. We gotta get to the shop soon." He turned to head down the steps but stopped when he felt her hand on his arm. He looked down at her.

"You heard her, didn't you?" She asked angrily.

He looked over to his truck, just because he didn't want to look at the outrage on her face. He nodded and then he was speaking before he could even think about what he was saying. "You think I'd do that?" He wanted to know. No, he didn't just want to know. He _needed_ to know.

"No," she said firmly, her hand sliding from his arm. "If I ever thought you would do something like that then I never would have spoken to you after that first night. Don't think for a second that I'm afraid of you. I thought after spilling my guts this morning like an idiot that you would know better."

He ran a hand through his hair and then nodded. "Let's go."

She followed him down the steps, walking closer than she needed too but he didn't mind. When they got in she flashed him a grin. "You wanna know one of the things I like the most about you?"

He raised on eyebrow and looked at her. "My winnin' personality? My unending sense of humor?"

She laughed, her eyes dancing mischievously. "Besides that?"

All sorts of things ran through his mind but he finally shrugged. "What?"

"Melvin kept opening my damn car door. I like how you can trust me with that task all by myself. I don't like being coddled and babied."

He grinned, remembering Brandi with an I. "Yeah, if you were that kinda chick this never woulda worked out."

"It's working out," she nodded firmly.

"Yeah. I think it's workin' out just fine." And for the most part, he meant it. But a small part of him wondered if they really were doing the right thing. He was a little bit worried about what the hell was going to happen between them. It was snowballing fast into territory that he knew nothing about.

The first priority were the kids. That was the biggest issue. Damon loved the woman. Daryl loved the girl. Carol acted like she loved them all.

They needed to be more cautious. They needed to think things through and they needed to slow things down. Sex changed things. He'd like to be able to say that he could jump in bed with her and then if it didn't work out then they could go back to just being Daryl and Carol, but that wasn't logical.

He had a feeling that things were going to be tense for a while.

"What's on your mind?" Carol asked suddenly.

He glanced at her and then shook his head. "Nothin'."

"You sure?"

No. "Yep. I'm good."

He could feel her eyes on him but he kept his own eyes on the road. He chewed his nail nervously, wondering what the fuck he was getting himself into here but knowing that there wasn't shit that he could do about it now.


	37. Chapter 37

**Small time jump here because apparently while writing this, I got as sick of the too slow slow burn as I'm sure all of you are.**

 **Chapter Thirty Seven**

Things changed after that day.

Daryl was more careful than he had been before. Things didn't get heated or out of hand. For the next few weeks, she slept in his bed. All they did was sleep. He didn't kiss her. She didn't kiss him. They fought about dumb things. They made up quickly. There was a quiet harmony that filled the house, but there was a constant underlying tension that only him and Carol had to deal with. An almost visible sexual charge in the air any time they were in a room together. Especially at night.

He knew it wasn't going to last. He knew that something was going to happen and things were going to get out of hand again. The truth was, he was kind of ready for exactly that. Before, they hadn't even been sure that they would be able to live together and make it work, so he'd been anxious about letting things get out of hand, just in case. But now, after things had slowed down and they were able to get their bearings, his worry was ebbing.

Being smart and taking things slower had been the right move. It drove him insane and he took his fair share of cold showers, but it had been smart. It had been the right thing to do, putting the breks on, because of the kids.

Buck worked out their schedules. They basically worked together but Carol went in and got off a few hours earlier than him. She was home by three, he was home by five. And she was one goddamn domesticated lady too. No sooner than he walked in the door, food was on the table. Sometimes he felt like he was in some kind of fucked up family sitcom.

Or it would be if not for that fucking tension. It wasn't bad. It was... weird. She'd get close and his pulse would quicken. His adrenalin would spike. Sometimes his hands would get sweaty and he would get this weird feeling in his chest. He didn't know why he was ignoring it. He didn't know why he had been so willing to fuck her that one night but was now pulling back. He just thought it was for the best. And really, it was.

He pulled up to the house and killed the engine. He was surprised that Damon's car wasn't in the driveway. Usually that boy was breaking his neck to get to the damn table. Sophia was too but it was less for the food and more the conversation. It was good for them. It was something stable that he was pretty sure they all looked forward too every day.

The house was silent when he stepped through the door. The living room was empty, the kitchen was empty. He thought maybe they were all out somewhere but then he heard a sound coming from down the hall. He walked that way and then the bathroom door opened up and Carol stepped out.

He frowned. Her eyes were red rimmed and troubled and she was looking down, not even noticing him standing a few feet away. He started to panic, she'd obviously been crying and the kids weren't here. Something must have happened.

"What's wrong?" He asked, his voice a little too loud.

She gasped and looked up sharply. He'd startled the hell out of her and her hand went to her throat. "Jesus! Don't do that to me ever again!" She barked, her eyes like saucers.

"Where the hell are the kids?" He asked, ignoring her outrage.

She walked past, waving her hand dismissively. "I sent them out for pizza or burgers or whatever. I didn't feel like cooking."

"Well, if the kids are alright then what the hell is wrong with you?" He asked, following her into the kitchen.

She sighed and opened the fridge, pulling out a container of cold roast beef and plopping it noisily onto the counter. "It's nothing, really."

He scowled, leaning against the opposite counter, eying her. "Well it's somethin' cause your eyes are all red and your mopin'."

She ignored him, pulling more containers out of the fridge and keeping her back to him. He waited there with his arms crossed as she busied herself. When she turned around she shoved a plate at him. He took it, but he didn't even look at it. He kept watching her as she walked past him and left the room.

He huffed, shaking his head and sitting down at the kitchen table with his food. He wouldn't complain about the sandwich because she was good enough in the kitchen to even make a regular sandwich something to be impressed with. The potato salad was left over from the night before but it was just as good as it had been last night.

As long as he knew the kids were okay he wasn't going to hunt her down and force her to tell him what was wrong. She had been perfectly fine when she had left work earlier. He fished a beer out of the fridge after rinsing his plate off and went to sit around on his ass in front of the TV for a while. It was kind of his nightly ritual. It had been even before Carol and Sophia had shown up. Usually Carol followed him but she was busy when he entered the room.

"What the hell are you cleanin' for? And don't tell me no bullshit like you're fine or nothin' is wrong because you do this when you're either nervous or pissed off. What the hell is going on?" He grumbled, hands on his hips.

She turned around, her blue eyes looking sad and then she shrugged. "Andrea left."

He almost rolled his eyes and told her that that was a good thing but he remembered that she had obviously been upset enough to cry about it so he shouldn't be a dick. He had to be a good guy at the moment and he hated that shit cause the truth was, he hadn't been able to stand Andrea and she hadn't been able to stand him. "You wanna talk about it?" He muttered, hating the thought of actually having to sit there and talk about it.

To his surprise she grinned at him. "You are amazing. The last thing you want to do is sit here and talk to me about my woes."

He shrugged. "No I don't but I don't want you moping around and fuckin' up my good mood." At least she wasn't going to make him listen to her talk about it.

The smile slowly died on her face and she looked down at the dust rag in her hand. "I guess it's just that she's always been around. She was there when I was a scared little kid and she was there when I was a broken down house wife, despite Ed trying his damnedest to keep her away. Then she took my kid in when I went to prison. I know you don't like her but she's my best friend, other than you," she tried to throw him a playful smile but it didn't reach her eyes. "I feel like since I've gotten out I haven't been a good friend to her."

He bit his lip and wracked his brain, trying to come up with something encouraging to say but he wasn't used to this. "It ain't like she's moved to China. It's a drive but you could go visit her. Fuck, you could go up there for the week instead of going with us."

She made a face. "Sophia would kill me if I tried to make her miss out on this trip."

His eyebrows shot up. "I never said anything about Sophia. She can still go with us. I wouldn't make that girl go to Atlanta."

She frowned. "Fine. I was using her as an excuse. I'd kill me if I made myself miss out on this trip."

He shrugged. "Then I don't know what to tell you. Other than you'll be fine without her. And you ain't been a bad friend to her either. She's been busy with this transferring shit and you've been busy with us. Y'all are grown women. She has a career and you have..." He wasn't sure what the hell to call it.

"I have a lot," she muttered, glancing around the room. "I mean, between work and the kids and picking up after you and taking care of the house, I'm asleep as soon as my head hits the pillow. And she's been dealing with the move and twice this week she's driven to Atlanta and back to get her bearings with this new job. So you're right. I'm not being a bad friend. I'm being an adult."

He nodded. He didn't bother correcting her. She didn't sleep with her head on a pillow. She fell asleep with her head on him. "See, you're not some sort of asshole. You're busy. Can you stop the sobbin' shit now so I can drink this beer and sit around on my ass for an hour or so?"

She scowled. "I wasn't sobbing."

He shook his head, the corner of his mouth turning up as he finally flopped down on the couch, remote in hand. She followed him, like she always did. Her legs ended up draped over his lap, like they always did. So he couldn't really focus on a damn thing that the TV had to offer. That, too, was very normal.

~H~

Damon and Piper's friend Tyler met them at the burger place that Piper had insisted on going to. He was pretty nice but Sophia wished that it was just the three of them. She wasn't sure how anyone else from school felt about her and she was reluctant to find out. Tyler didn't seem surprised to see her with them so she figured that Damon had filled him in on things.

They were just about ready to eat when Sophia looked up and her heart sank to her feet. Nina and Aubrey, two girls from her old crowd, strolled in, laughing about something, their heads together. Sophia was sure they hadn't seen her yet and she wished that she had sat next to the window in the booth instead of Damon.

Piper kicked her in the leg from under the table. When Sophia looked up Piper shook her head. "Don't sweat them."

She nodded but it was much easier said than done. She felt her face flame, remembering the things all of those kids thought she did thanks to that jerk. She found herself moving a little closer to Damon. As soon as her thigh was pressed firmly against his, she felt a little better. At least she had him. He was a great friend.

"Sophia?"

She flinched at the sound of the disbelieving voice. She looked up at Nina, who was staring at her with wide eyes. "Hi, Nina," she said, her voice low. She tried to smile but finally just gave up. Damon had grown tense next to her and Piper was openly glaring at the girls.

"Where the hell have you been? You kind of dropped off the face of the earth. We heard Damon here knocked you up so your mom sent you to live at his house."

Sophia felt her face flame. "Well, you heard wrong."

"So, where have you been then?"

She shrugged. "Nowhere really. I've been working at the Dixon's shop for a few weeks."

The two girl's shared a look before meeting her eyes again. They were acting as though the other three weren't even sitting at the table. "Did you hear about what happened to Ron and Trey?"

Sophia shook her head, wishing the girls would just go.

Now it was Aubrey who spoke up and her voice was slightly accusing. "They got busted last week. They both got arrested for possession and distributing."

Sophia shrugged. "Well, that sucks for them."

Nina nodded. "Anyway, we already found another connection. You feel like hanging out?"

"Go," Piper said, her voice holding a razor sharp edge that even had Sophia stiffening.

Nina and Aubrey looked at her. "Excuse me?" Aubrey snapped, hands on her hips.

Piper took a long sip from her coke and then sat it down. Her eyes went to Sophia and then the corner of her mouth turned up before looking back up at the girls. "I said go. No one here is interested in anything you two bitches have to offer. Go powder your nose or blow some old guy for some meds. You're ruining my fucking appetite."

Sophia's eyes widened and she waited for the girls to say something else. She was shocked when all they did was give all four of them at the table a withering look and then stormed off towards the counter.

"They think you did it," Tyler offered once they were out of ear shot.

Sophia looked up sharply. "What? I didn't do anything. I haven't seen any of them."

He shrugged. "Don't matter. I heard it from a friend of mine. I guess they all think it was you that turned Ron in."

"Damn it," she mumbled, pushing the rest of her food away from her and sinking down in the seat. Why did this have to happen now when things had been looking so promising? She felt that old despair try to crawl back into her mind.

"Fuck them. None of those assholes are gonna say a damn thing to you. They're too scared of me," Piper said, her voice full of confidence.

Sophia frowned. She probably had a point but her and Damon weren't going to be with her all the time. She was going to have to face them all on her own eventually. All she could do was hope that she was as strong as everyone seemed to think she was.

"She's right," Damon said, his narrowed gaze on the girls at the counter. "If they know what's good for them then they'll just stay the hell away from you."


	38. Chapter 38

**Chapter Thirty Eight**

Sophia tossed and turned for at least an hour before she finally gave up, threw the covers off and stood up. She was tired but she couldn't shut off her mind. It was almost like it had been back when she had been on drugs. Her mom had told her that it was going to be hard dealing with those kids but she hadn't thought much about that.

All she knew when her mom had mentioned moving was that she wouldn't be able to see Damon or Daryl anymore. That had been a terrifying thought. But now she was scared. She was scared of facing all of those kids once school started back up and now it wasn't going to be just a case of rising above her horrible reputation, now that whole group, and soon the whole school, would think that she was a nark. She had had nothing to do with those boys getting in trouble but no one was going to believe her. No one but Damon and Piper, and possibly Tyler.

She stepped out into the hallway and was about to head to the kitchen when the door at the end of the hall opened up and her mom stepped out, pulling the door shut silently behind her. When she looked up and seen Sophia she frowned.

"Are you okay?" She asked, concern clouding her eyes as she made her way towards Sophia.

She shrugged. "I couldn't sleep. What are you doing up?" A horrifying thought occurred to her and she scowled. She loved Daryl and she loved her mom and she was happy, beyond happy, that this was all working but the thought of what they might do behind that door made her a little sick. "Oh gross. I don't even want to know."

Carol frowned and shook her head, giving her a slight shove towards the living room. "How many times do we have to tell you two that we are not sleeping together before you believe that we are not sleeping together?" Carol whispered, annoyance clear in her voice.

Sophia shrugged. "We'll believe it when you two stop sharing a bed."

Carol muttered something under her breath and turned the kitchen light on. "Sleeping. All we do in there is sleep."

"You two are weird," Sophia said, smiling slightly because she actually believed her mom. It just didn't make any sense. They were both consenting adults. They were obviously head over heels over each other. They did everything a married couple did, including sharing a room. Why were they not doing anything else?

Carol sighed and sat down at the table. "I couldn't sleep. I guess I have a lot on my mind."

With a weary sigh Sophia nodded. "Me too. Do you want to talk about it?"

Carol looked up, her eyes widening. Sometimes Sophia forgot how horrible she had been when her mom had first got out of prison. It hadn't really been her. It had been the drugs. They had turned her into someone that people couldn't stand to be around. All she had cared about was herself and the next time she was going to be able to get high. Finally her mom nodded, "Actually, that sounds good. Talking to Daryl isn't easy sometimes. He doesn't handle emotions very well. As soon as I get upset about something, he gets this nervous twitch in his jaw."

For some strange reason Sophia remembered the night she had showed up here. The night she had ran off on her mom and Andrea. She went to the pantry and pulled down a box of hot chocolate and busied herself with the task of making her and her mom a cup. "So, what has you losing sleep?" She asked over her shoulder.

Carol drummed her nails over the table top. "Andrea leaving today. It kind of reminded me how much we've drifted apart."

Sophia didn't comment until she sat a cup down in front of her mom. "I kind of feel really bad about her leaving too. I mean, I've talked to her a bunch of times over the past few weeks but I was really a handful for her when you were gone. I feel bad for all the things I did."

Carol smiled. "She knows that. She's just happy that you're better. She was worried about you." She took a sip and then raised one eyebrow at her. "This is really good."

Sophia nodded. "Secret Dixon recipe. Daryl made me some that night I showed up soaking wet on his doorstep. I felt like an eight year old but it made me feel better. I think maybe it's my only vice. I'm improving." She grinned at her mom.

Carol sighed and rested her chin on her hand. "I hope she knows how much I appreciate everything she's done for me. For both of us."

"I'm sure she does. Andrea is tough like that. She loves you enough to be happy for you, even if she really doesn't like Daryl."

"You're right," Carol said sadly. "I'm gonna miss her."

"Not as much as you would have missed Daryl though, right?" Sophia pressed.

Carol rolled her eyes. "You're reading too much into this, honey."

Just then Daryl shuffled into the room, rubbing his eyes and looking younger than Damon. "What the hell are you doin' in here? That goddamn bed is cold as fuck when you ain't in it," he mumbled. When he dropped his hands from his face he squinted at Carol and then seemed to notice Sophia sitting there too. He turned red and cursed under his breath.

"We couldn't sleep," Carol said, pulling her legs up onto the chair and wrapping her arms around them. She was smiling that smile that Sophia only saw when Daryl was around. It was like it was reserved just for him.

"Oh. Well... if I ain't gotta be the one stuck talkin' about you're feelings again then I'm goin' back to bed," he said, grabbing Carol's cup and taking a large drink before handing it back to her. "Night, kid," he said, musing Sophia's hair before high tailing it out of the kitchen. It was obvious that her mom had been right. Daryl wasn't one to talk about feelings.

Carol watched him until he disappeared into the shadows and then looked back at Sophia. "Told you."

She grinned and shook her head, feeling better already. "You did."

"Now, your turn. What has your head running overtime tonight?" Carol asked.

Sophia ran a hand through her hair and frowned into her cup. "We saw two kids from school while we were out tonight. Two from the same group I used to run around with." She looked up in time to see the look of fear on her mom's face and then guilt had Sophia looking away.

Carol cleared her throat. "Well, no wonder you can't sleep. Did they say anything?"

Sophia nodded. "Not much, really. Asked where I'd been. One of the rumors is that I'm pregnant with Damon's baby so you dropped me on their doorstep to let Daryl deal with the illegitimate child."

"My God, are you serious?" Carol was red in the face but it was anger, not embarrassment.

Sophia shrugged. "They asked if I wanted to hang out and Piper kind of scared them off."

Carol looked nervous now. "Did you want to? Hang out with them I mean?"

Sophia thought about that. Really thought about it and then finally shook her head. "I really didn't. I thought maybe, if the opportunity showed itself, I might fall back into that, regardless of everything you guys have done." She shrugged. "But I didn't. I didn't want anything to do with it. Daryl told me that sometimes I'll feel like I need it. He said that even a year from now, even if I haven't done anything at all, that old appetite will raise it's head. Anything can do it. But I think when it happens, I'll be okay."

Carol looked away, her eyes still troubled. "I wish there was more I could do."

"It's my fight," Sophia said, her voice strong. "Something else he taught me. I did this to myself. I used all kinds of things as an excuse to do the things I did. I convinced myself that I needed a crutch because my life wasn't easy. But nobody has an easy life. Not really. Some people have it worse than others, sure, but at the end of the day, we all have demons staring us in the face. I was in a bad place and I found out that pills made the pain easier to deal with. But I was just being a pussy."

"Sophia," Carol admonished.

She shrugged. "That's what he said. He said he did the same thing. But I know that I don't need it. I'm tough. I don't need that crap."

"He's taught you a lot," Carol said quietly.

"He has. I know that it's gonna get bad. School is gonna be hard and I'm ready for it. I'm scared to death, but I can do this. At the end of the day, I get to come home to you guys. Life isn't bad, mom. I don't want you to think I'm dumb enough to mess any of this up."

Carol shook her head slowly. "I think you're gonna do just fine. You know we love you and at the end of every day that you have to deal with them you can look yourself in the eye and know you made it through another day. And we're all here, no matter how horrible those first few months back will be, we have your back. You have a strong family now and we're all in this with you."

Sophia drained her cup and took it to the sink. "I know. Daryl said the same thing."

"He's taking all my best stuff," Carol grumbled.

She laughed, feeling much better than she had before. Yawning she grabbed Carol's hand and pulled her up from the chair. "Let's try to get some sleep. You don't want him freezing to death in there."

Carol rolled her eyes and followed her down the hallway.

~H~

Sophia closed the door and leaned her back against it for a few long moments. She wasn't sleepy just yet but she wasn't going to stay up and worry her mom over what had happened. Besides, she felt a lot better than she had earlier anyway.

She sat down on the edge of her bed and then glanced over at the nightstand. Her phone was blinking and she sighed heavily. Her old friends had stopped texting her but it was obvious that it hadn't lasted. She thought about deleting them before reading what they had to say but for some reason she didn't.

The first text had her shaking her head.

Aubrey: _You have a lot of nerve lying right to our faces. We know you did it. Your attack dogs won't be around forever._

Trey: _Heard you denied busting us. Nice try you little slut. We know it was you._

Daniel: _Good job Soph. You went from blowing Ron for pills to blowing the Dixon men for a pay check._

She stared at her phone, the lump in her throat painful enough to almost drown out the hollow feeling in her chest. Her eyes burned. When the phone went off again she almost dropped it on the floor. She didn't want to look at it. She didn't want to see what else some of the others might have to say to her. She swiped the tears off her face and looked at it anyway.

Damon: _you up?_

She almost wept with relief. And typed out a hurried affirmative, sniffling loudly.

 _Can't sleep. Wanna hang out for a while?_

She tossed the phone onto the nightstand and then stood up. She looked at it for a few long seconds before she picked it up and shoved it into the drawer. She arranged her pillows under her blanket so if someone came to check on her they would think she was asleep. They didn't make it a habit of spending any amount of time in each others rooms once her mom or Daryl were in bed but tonight he must have sensed that she was troubled. And she had been. Now it was just much worse.

Without thinking about what she may look like she crept to the kitchen, silently crossed the room to the basement door and then stood there, remembering that it could always be worse and she should be thankful that she had someone that wanted to spend time with her.

She hoped he couldn't tell that she'd been crying like a five year old. When she made it to the bottom of the stairs he was messing around with a bass guitar that wasn't plugged into the amp. He was shirtless and the soft light from the lamp made his tan skin appear even darker.

"Hey," she muttered, feeling like a weirdo for staring at him.

He looked up, a smile in place until he saw her face and then he frowned. "You okay?"

She shrugged and sat down on the edge of the bed. She thought about lying but changed her mind. "Not really. I got a bunch of texts. I guess running into those girls tonight, I should have expected it."

He put the guitar down and sat down next to her, leaning back on his elbows. "Fuck them assholes."

She snorted. "According to the school, I already did."

His frown morphed into a grimace. He didn't say anything for a while and when he finally did she could hear the concern in his voice and she loved him for it. "You're gonna be alright."

She smiled slightly. "I know." And she believed it. Maybe it was because being around him made her feel good about herself. It really didn't matter the reasons. What mattered was, she was okay. She wasn't about to do anything to let any of them down. "You wanna watch a movie?"

He stood up, yanking her off the bed by the hand and then shoving her towards the couch on the other side of the room. "Sounds good. What are you in the mood for?"

She let him pull her down next to him on the couch and then sighed. "Horror. A really bloody one too and I'm gonna pretend that each one that gets it is one of those jerks."

He grinned. "There you go. That's the healthy way to deal with your frustrations."

She laughed, shaking her head slightly. "Thanks, Damon," she said, more emotion coming out in those words than she meant to convey.

His eyes softened and he shrugged. "That's what family is for, right?"

She nodded and then felt bad because she didn't look at him like he was family. She looked at him like he was the incredibly sweet hot guy that lived in the basement.


	39. Chapter 39

**Chapter Thirty Nine**

Daryl was still awake when she crawled back into bed. He felt stupid. He should be able to sleep by himself. He'd spent his whole life sleeping by himself but he didn't want to anymore. He slept better when she was in the bed. He knew he was in trouble because he shouldn't have felt that way but there wasn't a damn thing he could do about it.

"She okay?" He asked when she was finally situated, pressed into his side with her head on his arm.

"She is now. She ran into a few of her old friends tonight," she said, yawning loudly.

He raised his head, fear settling low in his gut. "What'd they say?"

Carol raised up on her elbow and reached up, pushing his head back down. "They asked if she wanted to hang out. She didn't. She's fine, Daryl. Go to sleep."

He scowled in the dark. "I should call every goddamn one their parents and tell'em that their fuckin' kids are a bunch of little drug addled fuckers and if they don't keep them the hell away from her then I'm gonna-"

"Daryl," she said interrupting him. "She's okay."

He shook his head. "I know that. But that don't mean she needs to deal with their shit."

"She made mistakes and now she has to deal with the consequences. I offered to get her out of it and she was determined to face those kids. She can do that. She has a lot of strong people in her corner now."

He rolled into her, his arm easily sliding around her waist. "That don't fuckin' mean she should have to. They should just let it the fuck go and leave her alone."

She was quiet for so long that he thought she had finally fallen back to sleep but then he felt her fingers play over his neck. "Why do you care about us so much?" She asked, sounding like she'd been thinking about the question for a long time.

He shrugged. "I don't know. You're a good cook and Sophia can tear down an engine and have the fucker cleaned and reassembled faster than me. Makes my life easier. Plus you do the laundry. I hate laundry."

She laughed and then settled back into him, her head tucked under his chin. "And I keep your bed warm."

"Yeah. You do that too." He honestly didn't know why the hell he cared about them so much. But he did. He did and there wasn't any way to turn it off. He couldn't bring himself to tell her that it would be a lot smarter to sleep in her own room. He couldn't bring himself to tell her that maybe what they were doing was just too much and not enough at the same time and he wanted to know what she wanted from him. He couldn't bring himself to tell her what he needed to tell her, and that was that he wanted more. A lot more.

He couldn't tell her that because he was still trying to come to terms with it himself. There was one more step before this became something huge and both of them were skirting around it. He was skirting it because he knew that as soon as they did it, then everything was going to mean something different and he was afraid that it would all turn to crap. She was skirting it because she was probably scared to be in a legit relationship with someone again. So instead they did this. Lived just like a married couple that didn't have sex anymore, or ever. Like a couple of fucking freaks that were born without genitals.

But that wasn't true because he knew exactly what she had. He clenched his jaw and forced the thought away.

~H~

"You two ready for this?" Merle asked, taping up another box and shoving it onto one of the storage shelves.

Carol grinned. "I am. The thought of sleeping on the hard ground and getting chewed on by mosquito's and eating squirrel balls sounds incredible."

Daryl snorted, shaking his head and fighting a grin. "Squirrel balls."

Merle wiped sweat off his brow and eyed them, causing Daryl to groan. "You know, I got somethin' a lot more fillin' than squirrel balls." He winked.

Daryl scowled but Carol just laughed again. "Oh, Merle, I know you do. But I have less appetite for bullshit than I do squirrel balls and that's about all you're full of."

Merle sighed heavily and dusted his hands off onto his jeans. "Can't blame a guy for tryin'."

Carol patted his cheek on her way by. "No, I can't. But it'll get you nowhere."

Merle shrugged. "I know. I just like seein' my baby sister get his feathers ruffled," he nodded towards Daryl.

"Go fuck yourself, Merle," Daryl grumbled, stomping past him.

Carol watched them, trying to hide her smile. Her and Daryl still fought a lot. It was an every day thing but it wasn't as bad as before and it was usually over something stupid and the fights never lasted long. They teamed up against poor Merle most of the time but he usually deserved it.

Every year they went on this camping trip and Buck spent a lot of time cleaning up before they left. Carol offered to stay behind so at least they wouldn't miss out on any sales but Buck had refused. Her and Sophia were being treated like honorary Dixons for the week. They were going to be stuck sleeping in the woods with the rest of them.

A part of her was excited because she had never really had to rough it before. It had the potential to be a fun experience. Then again, she really was pretty useless when it came to things like that and she didn't want to end up getting on Daryl's nerves with her lack of experience.

"What?" He asked suddenly, reaching around her to grab his drink from the bench.

She looked up, hyper aware of his presence. She always was. "Nothing."

He caught the straw with his tongue and took a long drink. She couldn't tear her eyes away from his lips. He raised a brow. "Yeah, it's somethin' cause when you're over thinking anything at all you purse your lips like you've been suckin' a lemon."

She relaxed her mouth and rolled her eyes. "I think I'll just get in the way on this trip. I think it would be smarter if you guys just let me and Sophia take care of this place while you're gone. You've taught her a ton of things and anything that came in, we could handle it."

He shook his head. "Nope. You just don't wanna have to take a bath in a river. You're spoiled. It'll do both of you some good to get the hell away from civilization."

She snorted. "I live with you. That's as far from civilization as I need to be."

"I'm civilized," he looked genuinely offended.

"For a hound I suppose. Not for a respectable man."

He flashed her a grin that had her unconsciously moving closer to him. She could tell that he was excited about this trip. He'd been in a good mood all day. He was usually a grump. "Guess it's a good thing you're such an animal lover, huh?"

She laughed and then shoved him away. She wasn't used to him being so... happy. Not that he was never in a good mood or anything but it was strange to see him like this. She had a feeling that him in the woods was going to be something very interesting. It made sense. Even his smell reminded her of something wild and woodsy. It was distracting but she'd had fun with him all day. "So, how long are we planning on being out there anyway?" She asked as they made their way out to the show room.

He shrugged. "Usually five days but sometimes longer. Depends on the weather and the game. So far the weather ain't workin' in your favor. It's gonna be pretty dry."

She sighed and then hopped up onto the counter. "Maybe it won't be so bad."

"It won't. I might have done a little self sacrifice and made a few calls to make the trip a little better for you," he said wearily.

She looked up with a frown. "You rented us a huge RV?"

He snorted "Hell no. That would take the fun out of the whole trip."

"Then what could you have done to possibly make this better for me?"

He was standing close so when he tried to take a step back she caught him with her legs and pulled him towards her. He raised his brows, his hands landing on the counter by her hips. He tried to back away but she gripped his shoulders hard and shook her head. She saw the muscle in his jaw twitch slightly but she knew that it wasn't out of anger.

She rolled her eyes. "What? You can't touch me when it's daylight out? We share a bed, Daryl." She was breaking unspoken rules but she didn't really care. His carefree mood was seeping into her.

"That's different," he mumbled, his shoulders still tense under her hands.

She put on her most outraged expression and he watched her suspiciously. "It's because it's dark in your room, isn't it? You are completely repulsed by how ugly I am and can only bring yourself to get close to me when the lights are out and you can imagine another woman."

"You're an asshole, you know that?" he growled.

"What did you get me for this trip? Was it expensive?" She asked, refusing to let him go.

He shook his head and she noticed that his eyes kept flicking to her mouth. He licked his lips. "Didn't cost a dime really but I have a feelin' I'm gonna be payin' for it for a long time."

"What is it then!" She asked, actually feeling a small spark of excitement.

He sighed heavily and then she felt his hands on her hips. "Let's just say, you're gonna owe me. This takes self sacrifice to a whole new place," he said cryptically.

"Damn it, Daryl!" She looked up when the bell over the door rung and her eyes widened in surprise.

He groaned and actually dropped his head to her shoulder.

"Andrea? What are you doing here?" She asked, unable to mask her surprise.

Andrea strolled in and dropped two bags onto the floor, hands going to her hips and a wide grin brightening her face. "Apparently I'm going on some great outdoor adventure with you."

Carol's mouth dropped open and she pushed his face off her shoulder, meeting her eyes. "You invited her?"

He sighed and nodded. "You were all butthurt about her leavin' and you thinkin' you hadn't spent enough time with her."

"Point me to the bathroom. It was a long drive," Andrea sighed before Carol could say anything to him.

They both pointed to the back and she strolled away. Carol turned back to him, her arms suddenly locked around his neck. She was so surprised she hadn't noticed she had even done it. "You hate her. She hates you right back. You didn't have to do this for me."

He snorted. "If I knew you'd get all sappy assed about it then I'd have probably not gone through with it."

"You are the sweetest man I have ever met in my life!" She grinned.

He was about to pull away but she grabbed the sides of his face and kissed him on the forehead. He stilled, his fingers flexing into her upper thighs. "I knew you was gonna make a big deal outta this."

She pulled back, her hands still on his face. "It is a big deal. You're sacrificing your whole trip for me." She almost felt choked up. She had never had a man treat her the way he did. He put her wants above his own needs and he really did need this trip. Andrea being there was going to make him miserable.

"It ain't gonna- oomph."

Her lips were on his before he could even finish his sentence. After a moments hesitation the tension melted away from him and his lips were moving with hers. This was against the rules but she was so happy that she didn't care at the moment. She could almost hear his resolve crumble when her lips parted and his tongue slid against hers. Pent up tension suddenly rushed to the surface and she used her legs to pull him further into the cradle of her thighs. She heard the bathroom door open up and groaned.

When she pulled away he studied her with sharp blue eyes. "Thank you," she said, feeling the heat of his gaze penetrate her blood.

He gave her a stiff nod and then loosened the hold he had on her. "You're the one stuck with her. You probably won't be thankin' me later."

"Oh, trust me, I'll be thanking you later," she said, hopping down from the counter.

He gave her an almost hungry look and then his ears turned red.

"I don't mean I'll..." She cleared her throat and then looked over as Andrea walked towards them from the bathroom. "You know what I mean," she muttered, stepping past him so she could talk to her friend and get her mind un-muddled. There really were all sorts of ways that she could think of to thank him. Things she thought about doing to him all the time.

She was getting really tired of their stupid rules.


	40. Chapter 40

**I'm being nice and posting again because my internet has been in and out all night because of storms and I don't want it to crap out completely and you not get an update later. I know that some of you are growing super impatient. I'm giving you... blue eyeballs, but we're getting there. I promise ;) . Lol Thanks for reading!**

 **Chapter Forty**

Damon and Sophia spent the night with Piper that night. Everyone was packed and ready to go and the plan was to leave as soon as the sun came up. The spot where the Dixons did all their camping was about three hours away. Andrea declined Carol's invitation to stay with them that night, even though there was a guest room that never got used. It was basically a place where Carol stored her things.

Andrea insisted on the two of them going out for drinks. Carol wasn't the most social person in the world but she was given the gift of more time with her friend, which was what she had wished for, and she was going to spend that time with her.

Daryl refused to go. She had nearly begged but he had steadfastly refused. Him and Andrea seemed to be trying hard to get along. He probably wanted to spend as much time away from Andrea as he could and she couldn't fault him for that but she really wished he were coming with them.

"I was wrong," Andrea said as she pulled into the parking lot of the bar she had chosen.

Carol unbuckled her seat belt and turned her head. "About?"

With a roll of her eyes she huffed. "Don't make me explain."

Carol grinned. "No, I think I really need you to explain."

With an exaggerated sigh Andrea met her eyes. "I was wrong about him. Very wrong about him. I still don't like him but he cares about you. My God, he cares a lot. He didn't want to talk to me and I could tell but that didn't matter. He called me anyway. He wants you to be happy so he swallowed his pride."

"I told you," Carol said smugly.

Andrea rolled her eyes and opened the door. "You did. I will give you that."

Carol became nervous as soon as she walked through the double doors. The bar was crowded and the music was loud. She hadn't been to many in her lifetime. It was sensory overload. The lights at the stage were too bright and the hum of conversation, laughter and the occasional yell had her flinching. The place smelled like beer, overheated bodies and fried food from the back.

"I love this place," Andrea said, leaning her head closer so she could be heard over the hum of the noise.

They made their way to the bar and miraculously found two empty seats. Andrea ordered a dry martini and Carol ordered a beer. She wasn't much of a drinker. She never had been. They were at the corner of the bar, further away from the band that was playing at the other side of the huge room so it was easier to have a conversation. Andrea didn't waste any time once their drinks came.

"So, how is he?" She asked, catching her olive between her teeth and pulling it off the tooth pick.

Carol shrugged. "He's fine." It was strange, even though Daryl and Andrea had come to a truce for her, she hadn't expected her to be so interested in his well being.

Andrea laughed. "I didn't mean how is he in the grand scheme of things. How is he in bed? I'm guessing he's a little on the rough side but still much more satisfying than anyone else you've ever had sex with."

Carol busied herself with her beer, taking too many gulps at one time and nearly choking. Andrea patted her back. She cleared her throat. "We haven't had sex. Not that anyone believes it."

Andrea frowned. "Carol, I'm your best friend. You're two mature adults. When I had lunch with Sophia today she told me that the two of you share a bedroom. Every single night. If he sucks just tell me."

Carol shook her head. "We aren't having sex."

"You're kidding."

"I'm not kidding. It's too risky," Carol reasoned.

Andrea made a great show of making herself comfortable, picking up her drink and sipping it lazily. "Oh, I have got to hear this."

"Well, we have to think about the kids," Carol said defensively.

Andrea raised a brow. "Elaborate. This is already insanely interesting."

"Damon and Sophia need stability. They have that. They have a father figure and a mother figure. They have two people that are there every day. They wake up to breakfast every morning with the same two people. Daryl is teaching Sophia how to be some kind of master mechanic and Damon and I have been working on getting his mom's garden back in shape. All those things create a place for them to feel... stable. They know they're important."

Andrea eyed her, a frown forming between her brows. "So you're pretending to be a family so Damon and Sophia can have a home life that resembles what passes for normalcy?"

"We aren't pretending anything," Carol said, shaking her head in exasperation and motioning for the bartender to bring her another beer. She finished the first one much too fast and was already feeling a slight buzz.

"That seems to be incredibly beneficial to the kids but confusing for the two of you," Andrea said, that frown still in place.

Carol shook her head, denial taking over. "It isn't. What if we do start sleeping together and it causes things to actually get more complicated? What if I end up wanting more than what he's willing to give? What if it causes tension that we can't get past like we've gotten past everything else? If we give in and it ruins everything, what will that do to Sophia and Damon?"

"Have the two of you talked about this?" Andrea asked. "I mean, sure, that could happen, but do you seriously think that sleeping with him will mess everything up?"

Carol drank more beer before answering. "I don't know."

"Carol, I think the two of you may be holding back for reasons other than Damon and Sophia."

Carol snorted. "Oh really? What's your theory then, Miss Minored in Psychology?"

"Self preservation. I don't know what his hang ups may be but I'm guessing that your past is probably keeping you from pursuing this. It's keeping you from turning this into something more. I mean, it's obvious how much the two of you want each other. I can't imagine how hard it must be to get in bed together every night, thinking about the same things, and not doing anything about it. That's... unhealthy. You've never done anything at all?"

Carol's mind drifted back to that night in his bed, before Merle and Buck had shown up. "We messed around. Nothing much."

Andrea grinned. "He got you off."

"Jesus, Andrea!" Carol nearly choked on her drink again.

"I know you. I've known you for a long time. I can tell by the look on your face. He got you off and I bet you didn't return the favor." She laughed. "You're a horrible person."

"Would you please just shut up!"

Andrea smiled and then her eyes scanned the room for a while. Without looking at her she spoke again. Apparently she wasn't ready to drop the subject. "He's crazy about you, you know."

Carol turned so her back was to the bar and she could watch all the people. To her dismay, she already needed another beer. She didn't want to put too much stock in what Andrea was saying. She knew that Daryl cared about her and she knew that he would do anything to make her happy, the fact that Andrea was sitting here with her was proof of that. She even knew that he was attracted to her. But those things had to go on the back burner. They couldn't do anything that could mess anything up.

~H~

Daryl woke up and stretched, scowling when he realized he wasn't in his bed. He'd fallen asleep watching a movie on the couch and the kinks in his shoulders reminded him of the reason he didn't do that very often.

He sat up and ran a hand through his hair, his eyes going to the clock on the wall. His eyebrows shot up. It was already a little past two in the morning. He'd fallen asleep around eight and since they were suppose to roll out at dawn he didn't see the point in going to bed.

When Carol had left she had told him that she wasn't planning on being out all night. She had never specified if she was coming back home or if she was going back with Andrea to her hotel. Andrea had mentioned she got a double so maybe they got too drunk and ended up crashing there. He checked his phone and scowled. The least she could have done was call to tell him that. He shook his head quickly and shoved it in his pocket.

Nope. She didn't have to call him.

Besides, she could have met someone at the bar and...

Nope. He shook his head again. She wouldn't do that. He was a little surprised at how sure he was that she wouldn't take some guy back to Andrea's room. The hand that was spooning the coffee into the pot stilled. It was surprising because he didn't trust anyone but his damn self. Or that was how things had always been before. He completely trusted her. He even tried to dredge up a little jealousy at the prospect of her being with someone else but he was so shockingly secure in their... anti-relationship, that he felt nothing at all.

She would no doubt get hit on. She was a goddamn good looking woman and she was at a bar. But he knew she would shoot down anyone that happened by. So he finished up preparing the pot and then jumped clean out of his skin when his phone went off as his finger was about to hit the start button.

He looked at the number, noticed that is was vaguely familiar and answered it, knowing it was most likely Andrea.

"I need you to come get her," Andrea said by way of greeting.

"Where?" He asked gruffly.

"My room. She may have gotten a little bit trashed and we may have closed down the bar. She's a bit of a mess so I'm handing her over. That and she is refusing to sleep here. She wants you to pick her up."

He sighed and shook his head. "You two knew we were leavin' out at dawn."

"Hey, save the lectures for your lady, Romeo. I told her all of this hours ago."

"Tell her to give me ten," he said, ending the call before Andrea could say anything else.


	41. Chapter 41

**Hello! Here is some drunken Carol to hold you off till the next chapter. Hope you enjoy this one. Thanks for reading!**

 **Chapter Forty One**

He wasn't sure what to expect because he'd never seen her drunk before. He had actually been surprised to hear her tell him she was going to a bar at all. He had always just assumed that she wasn't a drinker. And it was clear that she really wasn't.

He had no idea how in the hell she had made it up the stairs to Andrea's room. The Hotel's elevators were down and Andrea's room was on the second floor and getting her to the first floor was proving to be damn difficult.

"Are you mad at me?" She asked, swaying on her feet and gazing up at him with the largest saddest eyes he had ever seen.

He laughed. He couldn't help it. She had been standing at the head of the stairs for a few minutes just looking down. "I ain't mad. You're gonna be mad at yourself when you gotta start this trip out on no sleep, though."

"I'm gonna fall down the stairs," she said, still staring him, her expression so forlorn he almost felt sorry for her.

"I wouldn't let you fall down the stairs. Let's go. You need some coffee." He gripped her arm and tried to move her but she didn't budge.

"I don't want to fall down the stairs," she said stubbornly.

"Carol, just take a damn step and then another. I've got you."

"You might let go."

"Goddamn it," he grumbled, bending at the knee and then throwing her over his shoulder.

"What are you doing!" She cried loudly but he was already moving down the stairs. Once he hit the bottom he sat her down and gripped her hand, leading her towards the doors as the bored looking desk woman watched them with her chin resting on her hands.

He nodded to the woman and led Carol out to the truck.

"You could have dropped me," she mumbled as he pulled the door open for her.

"I wouldn't have dropped you and you know it. Get in."

She looked at him and then the truck. With a heavy sigh she reached up and tried to pull herself up but she couldn't quite get her bearings. She turned around, her lips pouting and her eyes growing wet. "I'm useless," she muttered, shaking her head.

He hid a grin and helped her into the truck. It wouldn't help anything to openly laugh at her but she was going to be in for it once she sobered her ass up. He wouldn't let her forget this. It seemed like alcohol turned her into a petulant little girl. He never would have guessed.

As he backed out of the parking lot she slid across the seat and burrowed into his side. He really didn't have a choice but to move his arm so it was draped over the back of the seat. Her hand went to his thigh and his eyes flicked down and then back to the road.

"You should have came with me tonight," she said, her breath ghosting over his throat.

He shook his head. "Nah. You needed to hang out with your friend so when she leaves again you won't cry about it."

She laughed and her hand moved up a few inches. "I couldn't stop thinking about you, though. But it's like that all the time. At work. At the grocery store. When I'm in the shower. Especially when I'm in the shower," she laughed like she knew some great secret.

He felt his nostrils flare but he kept his eyes on the road. He wasn't going to let her do something that she was going to regret in the morning but the thought of her in the shower was doing some serious damage to his resiliance.

"I got hit on at the bar," she muttered.

He nodded. "That happens at bars," he hated how strained his voice sounded. She was silent for a few minutes and when she spoke again it sent a rush of blood south, causing him to feel slightly dizzy.

"Remember what you did to me in your room that night?"

He quickly grabbed her wrist, stilling her hand when she started moving up again. "Yeah." He focused on the road and not on her lips that were now playing over his throat, moving up towards his ear. He swallowed hard and told himself over and over that she was drunk. She was drunk and it wasn't right to let anything happen.

She caught his earlobe between her teeth and bit down gently. He bit back a groan and only swerved a little at the distraction. Why the fuck hadn't she just passed out in her friend's room? This was going to be goddamn torture. They were suppose to be leaving in a few hours and he wasn't sure how long he would be able to dodge her advances. When she let go of his ear she laid her head on his shoulder and he was able to breath a little easier.

He thought she was passed out but when he pulled up into the driveway and killed the engine she raised her head. She smiled brightly. He opened the door and slid out before she could do any more groping. He helped her down and managed to get her inside before she tried anything else.

At first he was sure that she was going to go straight to the bedroom but when he had the door shut she rounded on him and before he could utter a word, her lips were on his. She shoved him hard against the door and when she kissed him he kissed her back hungrily, knowing he was only prolonging his own torment. It was when her fingers went to work on his belt that he stopped her, pushing her back gently and holding her at arms length.

Feverish eyes came up, meeting his. Before she could say anything he shook his head firmly. "You're drunk."

She blinked. "You are so ridiculous. I'm not that drunk."

"You're drunk enough," he countered, letting go and stepping around her.

"Okay," she said quietly.

He stopped, turning so he could look at her. She looked embarrassed and he cursed the alcohol in her system, which was the only thing stopping him from peeling away every stitch of clothing she had on and pinning her right up against the door so he could finally do what they could have been doing since the first night she slept in his bed. "Not cause I don't want to. Cause you're drunk."

"I know what I'm doing," she argued and then had the audacity to run her hand down the crotch of his pants and grab his junk like she owned it. Which, if he was being honest with himself, she did. It was hers. Everything was hers. It had been that way for a little while now.

He pried her hand away and then backed up a few steps. Jesus, the woman wasn't planning on giving up. "Then why didn't you do it last night when we were both sober?" He asked, hands on his hips.

She huffed and then tried to storm past him but stumbled on her way by. He caught her arm, she jerked it away and then almost fell again. "You're being stupid," she groused.

He grabbed her wrist and hauled her into the kitchen. She didn't try to fight him so he sat her down in the chair and finally started the coffee. When he turned around she was watching him with a frown.

"You're a bully too. A big stupid bully with all your smoldering hotness and wearing those pants that show off everything God gave you. And for what? So you can shy away like a... Stupid," she grumbled.

He leaned against the counter and crossed his feet at the ankles. "I ain't a bully, I'm lookin' out for you here. And my pants don't show off nothin'. You're drunk and you're being a pouty ass cry baby."

She sighed and propped her head up with her hand. Her eyes grew heavy until he sat a cup down in front of her. She grimaced. "It's black."

He nodded. "Drink it."

"You're not my boss."

"Carol, don't be an ass. You need to sober up."

"You're a prude," she said, taking a sip and making a face. "You're a prude that's trying to make me throw up! This is awful."

"Prude," he snorted. "And I'm tryin' to sober you up, not make you sick."

She grinned. "Are you trying to sober me up so we can mess around without you feeling guilty about it? You don't have to. We both want it. We've wanted it for a long time. We have the house to ourselves."

He sighed heavily, running a hand through his hair. "Would you just drink the coffee? Jesus Christ. If I knew drinkin' turned you into a horn dog I'd have..."

"Gotten me drunk sooner?" She laughed.

"I'm about to throw your ass in a cold shower. Keep drinking that coffee." If she had any fucking idea how hard it was for him to keep turning her down then...

"Fine," she sighed.

"Fine," he agreed with a nod.

She drank the coffee quickly and sat her cup down hard on the table. "Please don't make me drink anymore of that. I swear I'll never try to force myself on you again. I feel sick."

He felt a little sorry for her but she brought all this on herself. She knew for a fact that she needed to be up and at'em early and she chose to stay out all damn night drinking. "I'm gonna call Buck and tell him that we ain't comin' till later."

She looked up sharply, her eyes wide. "No! Him and Merle will be so mad at me and I know you want to get out there sooner rather than later! I can sleep in the truck."

He shook his head. "You're gonna end up bein' sick as a dog. Being a few hours late ain't gonna kill me."

She stood up quickly, her wide eyes growing misty. "Make me another cup of coffee. I'll drink the whole pot. We can leave this morning like we were suppose to!"

The look on her face would have been comical if she didn't look so devastated. "It ain't a big deal. I'd rather get there late cause you slept this off than get their late cause I kept having to stop so you could puke on the side of the road."

"You're gonna _hate_ me," she wailed, wringing her hands in front of her.

He grabbed her hand and led her down the hall, her protests growing weaker as they reached the bedroom. "I ain't gonna hate you. I couldn't hate you even if I wanted to. I've already tried. Go get some sleep." He seriously wanted to bitch her out for this stunt but he wouldn't. Maybe later but not now. She was already worried that he was mad and the longer it took him to get her in the bed, the longer it would take them to get the fuck out of here.

She crawled into bed with her shoes on, made a feeble attempt to kick them off and then rolled over, frowning down at her feet.

He yanked them off quickly. "Get a couple of hours in."

She pouted and he wanted to laugh but his heart was knocking painfully hard against his ribs. "Daryl?"

He stared down at her. "Yeah?"

"I don't like sleeping in my pants. You know that," she whined pitifully.

"I'm gonna help you out of your damn pants but you ain't allowed to do anything," he said sternly.

She smiled and he didn't trust it for a second.

With an exaggerated sigh he quickly undid her button. She giggled like a moron and then lifted her hips. Jesus, this was awful. He wanted to... He shook the thought and worked her jeans down her legs, forcing himself to not let his eyes linger on the slip of lace covering her. Forcing himself not to act on the urge to run his hands over the smooth firm flesh of her thighs... "There," he said roughly. "Get some sleep."

She raised up on her elbows. "You aren't staying?"

He shook his head. "I gotta call Buck."

"I can't sleep in here alone," she whined and it almost had him laughing at her again.

"You're a grown woman and you've slept alone plenty," he muttered, knowing it wasn't a good idea to get in bed with her. He only had so much self control and he wasn't going to be able to tell her no if she were to do much more than she had already. Especially if they were in bed.

She bit her lip and dropped her head back to the pillow, staring up at the ceiling. "Fine. If you hate me so much that you'll just leave me in here to freeze to death and die then just go on and call Buck."

He chuckled, shaking his head, finding it impossible to be pissed off about the delayed trip. He shut the door and tried to fight back the temptation of getting in bed with her. But he may as well get a few more hours sleep in if he was stuck here anyway. He just had to make a call first, and hope like hell she was asleep before he got into bed.


	42. Chapter 42

**Chapter Forty Two**

Buck didn't seem to mind too much and Andrea didn't either. She was planning on getting some sleep herself and then following them later in the day. He was surprised Buck didn't give him more crap than that but he wasn't going to complain. He padded down the hall, stripping off his shirt on the way and tossing it towards the hamper in the bathroom on his way by.

He opened the door and groaned when she raised her head, smiling drunkenly. He shook his head and shut the door, plunging the room into darkness again. "Don't get any ideas, lush. We're sleepin'. That's it."

She laughed and he couldn't help but smile as he crawled in next to her. Deep down, he knew exactly what he was doing. He was almost ashamed of himself but the truth was, he wanted her. It was as simple as that. He'd wanted her for a long time. If something happened then he'd feel like a real piece of shit for letting it happen while she was so drunk but if he didn't touch her, it wouldn't be his fault. He had pushed her away, making his point clear and if she kept up then he wasn't to blame.

That was some creeper logic if he ever heard it.

As soon as his back hit the mattress she was scooting into him, burrowing into his side just like she did every single night they went to bed.

"I don't really think it was your coffee that did the trick, but I do feel a lot more sober. Sleepy, but not embarrassingly drunk," she mumbled into his neck. "I'm sorry about the attempted rape. I haven't drank in a long time."

He laughed. "It coulda been worse."

She raised up and even though it was black as pitch in the room, he could feel her eyes on his face. He wasn't surprised when her lips met his. She'd sounded more sober than she had been so this had to be okay. He hoped it was okay anyway because he was beyond fighting her. If this was what she wanted then this was what they were going to do. He'd done what he could to avoid it and now...

She quickly undid the button on his pants and before he could really register what she was doing her hand slid down his boxers. His breath came out heavily when her hand gripped him. He was surprised at the swiftness of her actions but even more surprised at how quickly he grew hard in her grip.

"Oh wow," she purred in his ear as her lips went to work on his throat.

"Shut up," he whispered, embarrassed at his over eager response to her touch. But goddamn, it was rough denying how much he wanted her. Like a slow death, the longing agonizing.

She kissed his jaw as she moved her hand over him and he bit down hard on his lip, wishing he had left a light on. Whatever happened, he wanted to see her. She kissed him again and then her hand left him. Maybe she had come to her senses and realized what a big fucking mistake this would be. He hoped not.

Apparently it was his lucky day, or not, depending on how he decided to look at it, because suddenly he could feel her warm breath on his chest as her head slid down. Her teeth nipped at the skin just above his belly button and without thinking his fingers sunk into her hair. She raised up and he quickly dropped his hand, thinking he had fucked up. He knew he hadn't when he felt her hands tugging his pants and boxers down.

He realized what she was about to do and came up on his elbows. "Carol, you ain't gotta do-" She ran the flat of her tongue all the way from the base to the head, slow and wet, and then took him into her mouth. "Holy fuckin' shit," he groaned and let his head fall back onto the pillow.

God, this was so fucking stupid. Their whole arrangement was so fucking stupid. They could be doing shit like this every night but both of them were too fucking stupid to... Goddamn, she was seriously fucking good at this.

He bit his lip and folded his arms under his head so he wouldn't grab her by the hair and force more of himself down her throat. "Fuck," he groaned when she took more in anyway, her warm tongue circling on the up sweep. She kept her pace steady and it didn't take long before he felt himself tensing. Her warm wet mouth was driving him out of his fucking mind. She knew exactly what she was doing to him too because she hummed in approval sending vibrations through him that had his eyes crossing.

He raised his head again just as her free hand came up, cupping him gently. Just that little pressure was enough to have his hips jerking up into her mouth. "Carol," he croaked, "You might wanna... Oh God," he breathed when she didn't heed his warning but forced her head down further than she had previously.

He'd warned her so he didn't feel bad when he finally came. He was actually shocked at how hard the intensity knocked the damn wind out of him. He clenched his jaw hard to keep the pathetic sounds from actually leaving his mouth but there was nothing he could do about the rest of it, like how his muscles trembled like he was some little virgin boy, but it couldn't be helped.

When it was finally over and he was working on catching his breath she was kind enough to fix his pants. He ran a hand through his hair and blew out a heavy breath as she slid up, straddling his hips. If she thought he was going to be able to do anything else right now, she was sorely mistaken. That had taken a lot out of him.

"That was fun, but now the room is spinning," she muttered before her head hit his chest.

"Cause you're a damn liar. I knew you were still drunk," he said, his voice rough and low.

She hummed in the back of her throat. "I knew I had to make you think I was sobering up. You're too chivalrous for your own good. But at least we're square now."

He shook his head and stared up into the darkness, his heart slowing to a normal rhythm. "Sleep it off, Carol. I have a feelin' this is gonna be a real rough ride for you."

She giggled and then raised up, moving her hips into him. He grunted and gripped her waist hard, stilling her. Apparently he had a little more in him than he thought because a rush of blood went south. "Rough ride, huh? Sounds like fun." She cried out in surprise when he rolled them, pinning her beneath him.

"Your ass isn't ever getting drunk around me again. When you wake up you ain't even gonna be able to look me in the eye," he growled, bracing himself with his arms. "Go to sleep or we ain't ever gonna make it up to those mountains." He rolled off of her, onto his back.

Just like he knew she would she rolled over and burrowed into his side. "I'll feel fine," she muttered sleepily.

He stared up at the ceiling, feeling guilty about what he'd let her do. He needed to talk to her about what the hell was going on between them. It was getting pretty fucking ridiculous.

"Daryl?" She mumbled.

"Hmm?"

Her fingers played over his stomach and then she sighed. "Thanks for coming and getting me."

He snorted. "You mighta been better off if I hadn't."

She shook her head. "I'd miss our bed. And I'd miss you."

He closed his eyes then. "Yeah, I'd have probably missed you to," he grumbled.

He felt her lips turn up in a grin. "I know."

~H~

When she woke up she didn't even have time to blink before she gagged. She untangled herself from Daryl's arms and darted out of the room. As soon as her feet had hit the floor she nearly blacked out from the throbbing searing pain in her head.

She didn't even have time to turn on the bathroom light before her knees hit the floor and she was getting sick. Every time her stomach heaved her head felt like it was going to explode. When it was finally over she went to the sink, the hallway light was the only light to see by but at the moment, it was more than enough. She rinsed out her mouth and then scrubbed her teeth for much longer than necessary.

"How you feelin'?"

She looked up and saw his reflection in the mirror. He was leaning against the door with his arms crossed and she knew that if he wasn't back lit by the hallway light and she could actually see his face that he would look smug. "I feel like death," she muttered after rinsing her mouth out one last time.

"Told you that you were gonna feel like death," he said, stepping into the bathroom and then rummaging through the medicine cabinet until he pulled out the bottle he was looking for. He handed it to her.

"I don't need your I told you so's today Daryl. I learned my lesson. I'm never drinking again. Ever." She opened the bottle and took two of the pills before handing it back to him. She didn't want to leave the gloom of the bathroom because he had been right. She wasn't sure if she could even look him in the eye after the way she had acted.

"What's that smell?" He asked suddenly, leaning against the wall by the door.

She snorted. "I don't know. Vomit?"

He shook his head. "Nah, it's stronger than that. I think it might be... regret."

She glared at him before storming past, slapping him hard in the chest. "You're a real jerk."

"Well, I figure I can either laugh at the situation or brood over it," he said from behind her.

"Why are you in such a good mood? Because of the stunt I pulled you have to postpone your camping trip. I expected you to be mad. And of course there's the elephant in the room. I acted horrible after you picked me up!"

He shrugged, busying himself at the sink. "Perspective."

She scowled, wishing the sunlight wasn't shining directly on her from the large windows. "What are you talking about?" She asked, massaging her temples.

He turned then, and she wasn't sure if it was the sunlight playing off his eyes or if there was a gleam there. Finally he shook his head and sat a cup of juice down in front of her. "Nothin'. We leave in ten minutes. Better get your ass in gear, woman."

"Ten minutes! I need a shower!"

"Better make it a quick one. Your shit's already in the truck," he said as he walked out of the room.

Ten minutes later she was still in the shower, letting water that nearly scalded her wash some of the pain away. She nearly slipped when he banged on the door. He was not planning on making this easy on her. "Five more minutes, Daryl. You have no idea how bad I feel right now," she called, bracing herself for the pain in her head to increase and breathing a sigh of relief when it didn't.

"Times up."

She jumped at the sound of his voice and wiped at the frosted glass. Sure enough he was in the bathroom. "Get out!" She yelled.

"You got thirty seconds."

"Or what? You'll come in after me? I need five more minutes."

She got back under the hot spray. She knew he wouldn't barge into the shower on her. He was Daryl and there was no way he would do something like that. He could threaten her but she knew him better than... She screamed when suddenly a wave of icy water hit her.

"I told you."

"I'm gonna kill you!" She said as she gasped for breath. She wasn't sure if he had more so she hurriedly turned off the water. As soon as she did he tossed a towel over the door and then he was gone. She quickly dried off and got dressed, avoiding her reflection because she knew that she looked like crap. There were dark circles under her eyes and her face was pale. Well, probably not now, but still. She didn't need a reminder of how bad she looked.

He was standing outside the door when she stepped out into the hall. Before she could slap him right in the face for that stunt he shoved a pair of boots into her hands. "Let's go."

She shook her head. "You're impossible," she grumbled. "I've never met a grown man that acted this way over a damn camping trip."

"Losin' light," he called over his shoulder.

She stared at his retreating figure and then flipped him off. She'd get him back for the cold water stunt.


	43. Chapter 43

**Chapter Forty Three**

She was pissed off but he didn't care. If he let her then she would have fucked off all day trying to recuperate and he wasn't about to let that happen. There was still plenty of daylight left and they were damn near there. She had slept the whole way, her head in his lap. He had stopped at a fast food place and forced her to eat a double cheeseburger and drink a large coke, which was his own secret hangover cure. After that she'd curled up on the seat and had been drooling on his pants leg ever since.

Once he turned onto the mountain road she sat up, rubbing her eyes miserably. The ride would be a bumpy one from here on out so there was no way she would be able to sleep through it. He didn't envy her. He felt pretty good. He'd slept fine on the couch and then got an extra few hours with her in the bed. He was rested and ready to get their shit set up.

"You didn't tell me it was so far up," she muttered as the truck bounced through the ruts in the old dirt road.

"You didn't ask."

"Are we really going to have to boil water before we drink it?" She asked, her eyes taking in the woods on either side of them.

He shook his head. "There's a natural limestone spring up here. The water is probably better than anything you can buy in a bottle. It ain't gonna be that bad. You might like it. Merle usually brings liquor if you get an itch for it."

She made a face. "For being in such a good mood you are being so mean to me today."

He snorted. The cold water was probably a little mean but he knew she'd drag ass if he hadn't done something. "Poor baby," he muttered, glancing over at her when she shot him a dirty look.

"Why do I even bother talking to you? You're evil."

He grinned but didn't comment. There wasn't a whole lot that was going to ruin his good mood. Even the blonde in the rented SUV behind them. Actually he was looking forward to seeing how miserable she was going to be up here. Carol wasn't used to stuff like this but she was tough. Well, she was tough when she wasn't being a cry baby because she had a hang over. But Andrea didn't seem very tough at all. He could be wrong about the woman, but he doubted it.

"Did you mention to Andrea that we weren't going to be camping the way most people camp? I mean, I bet she's expecting hot dogs and s'mores. Knowing her, she expects the hot dogs to be Kosher. I know she wouldn't have came if she knew we would be eating skunks and rats."

"I may have left out a few things."

She smiled vaguely as they topped a rise and then the clearing appeared before them. "I still can't believe you did that. As much as you dislike her."

He shrugged. "Yeah, well, I don't dislike you so here she is." He parked the truck behind Merle's and killed the engine. There wasn't any signs of them anywhere but he hadn't expected to see any. They would have hiked up for about thirty minutes before setting up camp.

"I hope you don't regret it," she said before he opened the door.

He glanced at her and was surprised when she kissed his jaw lightly and then smiled. "Wasn't you just bitchin' about how mean I was?" He asked, raising a brow at her.

She shrugged one shoulder and then leaned across him, shoving his door open. "You are," she muttered and then crawled right over him and hopped out on his side.

He grinned and shook his head. "I am. Cause now it's time to tell you that I'm gonna strap about thirty pounds to your back and then force you to hike uphill to the campsite."

Carol looked a little bit like she was going to be sick again at this news.

~H~

Carol had to tune out Andrea's voice as they walked. Walk was an understatement really. They basically had to climb. Andrea, assuming that they would be driving to some camp site had packed heavy and ended up leaving most of what she had brought with her in her SUV.

Daryl had helped her tie her sleeping bag and tent to the bag that she had strapped to her back. The blond had looked murderous when he walked away grinning when he was finished strapping everything to her like she was a mule.

"I hate that man," Andrea muttered, losing her footing. She caught herself with her hands and then dusted them off quickly. "I hate him more than I've ever hated anyone in my life."

Carol sighed and looked up. He was head of them, navigating the terrain easily. "We'll be there soon," she said, hoping she was right.

"What do you even see in that man? He's infuriating."

Carol shook her head. "You just like to hear yourself complain. He didn't force you to come up here."

"Well, at least the view is good," Andrea huffed.

Carol glanced up and frowned. "What view? All I see are trees and more hills we have to climb."

Andrea nodded towards Daryl, who's figure was getting smaller and smaller since he was so far ahead. "Your boyfriend has a great ass."

Carol's mouth dropped open and then she laughed breathlessly. "You're impossible."

A few minutes later they topped the rise and a clearing came into view. The trees that dotted the area weren't as dense here but the mountain continued to rise on three sides of them. The area was as big as a football field with a narrow stream rushing through the middle of it.

"Okay, even I can admit that this is pretty incredible," Andrea breathed as she sidled up next to her.

Carol's eyes scanned the area and saw Daryl already getting a tent set up. A little further away, closer to the stream, the kids were setting up. Andrea sighed and took off walking towards a small cluster of trees that was further away from where Daryl was. "Where are you going?"

Andrea glanced over her shoulder. "Just in case you're lying to me, I'm not risking having to hear the two of you doing it all night."

Carol rolled her eyes and made her way towards Daryl. It was cooler up here than she had expected and it was a pleasant surprise. He was nearly finished setting the tent up by the time she made it to him. "It's a little small," she observed.

He looked up from where he was kneeling and shrugged. "Don't need a lot of room, especially if it gets as cold up here at night as the weatherman called. You'll be glad we only got a small tent to heat up."

"What about the kids? Is it really suppose to get cold up here?" She asked worriedly.

He took a long drink from his water bottle before handing it to her. "Not cold enough to worry about. They ain't five, Carol."

She watched him finish getting the tent set up and then she grabbed their things, shoving the bags inside before she sat down on a log and rubbed her temples. The hike had brought her headache back full force and she groaned.

"Here."

She opened her eyes and he was offering his bottle of water and another set of pills. She took them and sighed. "I was such an idiot for drinking so much last night," she mumbled between drinks.

He walked behind her and nudged her in the back. "Move your ass," he said firmly.

She glanced over her shoulder and he motioned for her to sit on the ground. She didn't argue. She slid down so her back was to the log and then jumped when he took her seat. Now she was situated between his legs. She was about to give him hell for making her move just so he could steal her seat but then she felt his hands on her, his thumbs rubbing circles into the back of her neck up to the base of her skull.

She moaned embarrassingly loud and her head fell forward, the headache instantly easing as he rubbed. "Jesus where did you learn to do this?" She asked.

His thumbs moved up the back of her neck. "June used to get these bad headaches sometimes and the only thing that would ease them was Odin doin' this. I figured it'd be worth a shot." His voice was low and sounded almost troubled.

"You still miss them a lot, don't you?" She asked softly.

"Yeah. You would've got a kick out of Buck and Odin. They were a lot like me and Merle. And June... I don't know. Sometimes you remind me of her a little bit. You would have liked her."

She smiled slightly. "How do I remind you of her?"

She felt him shrug. "It's just little things. The way you are with the kids mostly. And you're all organized and shit and no matter what, you seem to get your damn way, even when I don't want to do somethin'."

She snorted but kept her mouth shut. He was kind of right. Even when he didn't want to do something he'd do it if he knew she wanted to. After a few more silent minutes he dropped his hands but she didn't want him to move just yet. She turned quickly, coming up on her knees and kissed his cheek. "Thank you."

His eyes met hers and his hands went around her loosely. She wanted to kiss him. Not just on the cheek either but the sound of feet approaching had them both looking over. She stayed where she was, though. Her hands still on his shoulders and she noticed that he didn't try to move either.

"She's useless. Totally fuckin' useless!"

Merle and Andrea were standing there glaring at each other. Carol and Daryl shared a look, both trying to fight a smile.

"Me! I asked you for one favor and you bit my head off! The least you could have done was politely declined. Instead you acted ridiculous."

Merle's angry eyes settled on Daryl. "Bringin' her was your idea. And she didn't just ask for help either. She's actin' like she can't do anything! Have you ever met a woman that couldn't even set up a tent!"

Carol reluctantly pulled away from Daryl and stood up. "I'll help," she said, grabbing Andrea's hand. "And Merle, the least you could do is try to be nice."

Merle snorted, shaking his head and storming off towards his own small camp.


	44. Chapter 44

**Chapter Forty Four**

Sophia stared at the gun in her hands with wide eyes. She felt a little panicked and she looked up, meeting Daryl's gaze. "I can't," she said quietly, glancing around. She tried to hand the gun back to him but he shook his head.

"You have to. Every damn year I'm stuck on my own out there while Merle and Buck have backup. This year's different. It's tradition." He pushed the gun back into her hand. "I taught you to shoot and you ain't bad. What's the problem?"

She blinked and then swallowed hard. "I'm gonna mess you all up. I'm not at home in the woods like Damon and Piper are. You won't catch anything if you take me."

He handed her an orange vest and she put it on reluctantly. It actually fit, just like the rest of the clothes he'd given her to change into, which surprised her. It wasn't Piper's hand me downs because hers would have been too small and it wasn't Damon's because his would have been too big. He looked up from his pack. "What?"

"Everything I'm wearing fits me," she hedged.

He frowned. "That's kind of the point, ain't it?"

"You bought me all this?" She asked, her eyes wide.

He nodded and then continued pulling spare shells out of his pack and shoving them into the pockets of his own vest. "You didn't have anything to wear out here. You kinda gotta dress the part. It's part of the fun."

She smiled and then took a deep breath. He'd gone to all this trouble so now she couldn't back out. "Okay, we can do this."

He stood up, grabbing her hand and pulling her off the ground. "Damn straight," he grinned.

She nodded. "Merle and the rest of them are gonna be the ones starving tonight," she said as she fell in step beside him. "They'll be begging us to share."

He elbowed her, the grin widening. "That's my girl."

The words and the proud glint in his eye had her faltering slightly and a lump to form in her throat. She swallowed around it, feeling stupid and small and sentimental.

So what if he was proud of her. So what if he was treating her like she was a part of the family. So what if everything he did with her made her crave his attention that much more. She felt stupid, since she was sixteen and not six years old but she couldn't help the way his praise made her feel... important. Like the way a real dad would look at her if she'd ever had the pleasure of knowing one.

They walked further into the woods and she tried hard to be as quiet as him. She couldn't mess this up or they wouldn't get to eat tonight. Not only that but if she really did manage to shoot something for them to eat, he'd be even more impressed.

~H~

Carol dropped another armload of wood next to Merle's fire. She had volunteered to keep the campfires burning while the men took the kids on some sort of hunting trip. She had to admit that they all looked pretty cute in all that camo but she was starting to get worried. They had been gone a long time and they would be losing light soon.

"I get it now," Andrea muttered, dusting her hands off onto her jeans. "Compared to his brother, Daryl is like... Prince Charming."

Carol laughed. "What's that suppose to mean? Merle is hilarious." She knew what Andrea meant but playing dumb was more fun.

"You can't be serious. He's rude and disgusting. He called me Sugar Tits and asked if I wanted go to his tent and bump uglies." She made a face.

"Aw, he's just flirting," Carol smiled.

Andrea scowled at her. "You're kidding."

Carol shrugged and threw a few more logs on the fire before heading back to the campsite she was sharing with Daryl. Andrea fell into step beside her.

"You know who actually is impressive?" Andrea asked.

Carol sighed. "Andrea, if you say Melvin, I swear to God I'm going to scream and then I'm going to beat you with a flaming stick."

Andrea rolled her eyes. "Of course not, Melvin is a total dork. I was going to say the older one. Buck. Now that's a man. Actually that's like two well defined men molded together into one big gorgeous specimen. And he's a business man."

Carol gaped at her. "Andrea, you're kidding. He's old enough to be your father."

Andrea shrugged. "But he doesn't look it."

Carol had to agree. The man didn't look a day over forty five, but that wasn't the point. "You can't hit on him."

Andrea snorted. "And why not?"

Carol rubbed her arms, surprised at how cool it was up here. "Because! He's Daryl's dad."

"So what? He isn't _my_ dad. I can't stop thinking about how big his-"

"Okay, that's enough. I don't want to talk about it anymore."

"What about Daryl?"

Carol flushed and shook her head. "I told you that I don't want to talk about it!"

"No, you didn't want to talk about Buck's so I changed the subject. Now you don't want to talk about Daryl's. Is it small? I can't imagine him having a small one, even if he isn't as big as his father. Something about the way he carries himself tells me that whatever he has-"

"No it isn't small! Compared to Ed it's- You know what, no. I am not discussing the size of his... stuff with you."

"But you do know the size of his stuff little miss, 'We're not sleeping together'." Andrea made quotes in the air with her fingers.

Carol met her eyes. "I have never had sexual relations with that man," she said in her best Bill Clinton voice.

Andrea laughed but then shook her head, sighing loudly. "But you know all about his thing?"

"His thing?" Carol raised a brow. "Did you really just call it a thing?"

"How do you know how big his thing is?" Andrea pressed.

"We've messed around. I've admitted that before."

Andrea shook her head. "You two are the most frustrating couple I've ever seen in my life, but damn if you aren't adorable."

"I hate you sometimes. We're not a couple."

"Okay, fine. Your daughter and your not boyfriend are coming out of the woods behind you," she grinned.

Carol spun around, blowing out a relieved breath. Forgetting that she was suppose to be proving to Andrea that Daryl wasn't her boyfriend she started walking towards them. It was hard not to grin at the site the two of them made, smudged with dirt and both grinning right back at her. She stopped when she was a few feet away and Daryl held up a string of dead rabbits. She made a face.

"I bagged two of those," Sophia beamed.

Carol wrinkled her nose. "That's... nice. Do we really have to eat them?"

Daryl handed Sophia the rabbits and nudged her towards camp. "Yep," he said, his smile turning smug.

She looked at his hands and made another face. "Your fingers are all... bloody. You're covered in rodent blood."

He glanced at his hands and shrugged, taking a step towards her. She saw that look in his eye and started to back away, shaking her head. She backed away a few more steps and then turned to try to get away but it was no use. He grabbed her around the waist, his filthy hands smearing dirt and blood across the front of her shirt.

She tried to fight but it was no use. He had a grip on her that wasn't breaking. "Daryl I swear to God I'm gonna-"

"Gonna what," he growled into her ear.

She turned her head sharply, meeting his eyes. He was still grinning and then he turned her around to face him, forcing her to walk backwards much to fast and causing her to stumble. "Let me go! I'm filthy now!" She laughed and hated herself for laughing because she wanted to glare at him.

"Aw," he mocked her as she tried to push him away.

She cried out when suddenly she was thrown over his shoulder. "Put me down!" She could hear someone, or possibly a few someones, laughing as he stalked towards the campsite. When he sat her down on her feet she glared at him. "That's two. I owe you two."

He frowned and then tilted his head. "You don't owe me anything. You paid me back this mornin', remember?" He moved around her and then she stiffened as he smacked her hard on the ass on his way by. She turned, gaping at his retreating figure.

"I meant for the cold water in the shower you jackass!" She called, her face flushing when she realized that everyone was right there, just a few yards away, staring at her with huge grins on their faces. She couldn't believe he would bring up what she had done this morning! And in front of their whole family!

His.

 _His_ whole family. It was so easy to forget that, which was so odd. She imagined if Ed had been a different kind of man that she could have had all of this with him. She shook the thought as soon as it entered her mind. Even when she had thought she loved Ed, she had never felt like this with him. Not way before the bad stuff. This was something new and different.

Even when she was furious at Daryl, she still felt good about herself when she was near him. She felt secure and she felt like she could take on anything that came her way as long as he was there because he made her stronger. He made her better. Since meeting him, since building their strange family unit with him, she felt like a new person. She woke up every morning excited about what the day would bring. And she felt good about the life they were making for the kids and she...

She loved him.

She blinked stupidly. Andrea had mentioned it before but she had scoffed at the absurdity of the idea. But she couldn't do that anymore. It was the truth and the revelation had her stunned into complete immobility. And it wasn't just shocking. No. She was suddenly terrified. Completely terrified that he didn't love her back.

She watched him, too stunned to move, as he patiently taught Sophia how to skin and then clean the rabbits. The easy way Sophia smiled when he'd nod in approval. She watched as Damon plopped down in the dirt next to them, giving a few pointers of his own. Daryl looked up then, his eyes locking onto hers and the corner of his mouth turning up slightly. She smiled back.

He stood up, leaving Sophia to finish up and approached her. "You look like you're about to throw up again," he muttered, stopping a few feet away from her.

She shook her head. "I actually feel okay."

He frowned, tilting his head to the side. "You sure?"

She nodded and forced a smile even though her heart was thundering in her chest and her palms were sweating and had the irresistible urge to kiss him until neither one of them had the ability to breath anymore. Because the next time it happened, and she knew that it would happen, it was going to have a whole new meaning for her.

"You sure you ain't gonna puke?"

She snorted and stepped around him, "Of course not."


	45. Chapter 45

**Hello! I'm having internet issues because of the weather so if I don't update on time, you'll know why. It is driving me insane! Hope everyone is staying warm! Thanks for reading!**

 **Chapter Forty Five**

He wasn't sure what had happened but he knew that something had. And it wasn't the barb he had thrown at her about what had happened in their room that morning either. It was something else and he wanted to know what the fuck it was.

They feasted on the rabbits they had caught and she surprised him when she actually liked it. Andrea wasn't a fan but she had eaten anyway. She had, indeed, thought they would be bringing hot dogs and marshmallows. At the moment everyone was gathered at his campsite, talking amongst themselves. Andrea kept chatting with Buck and Merle was telling the kids some story about the family that owned this land before them. He was going out of his way to terrify them, like they were a group of ten year olds instead of teenagers.

Carol sat near the fire, her eyes lost somewhere in the flames. It was colder than he had anticipated so he was leaned against the big log that they used to sit on every year that they came up here. He had a blanket wrapped around him so he wasn't cold but as soon as Carol moved back from the fire she was rubbing her arms. She glanced over at him and smiled when she saw him watching her but it wasn't a real one. Even her smile was troubled.

He didn't like it. When something was bothering her it bothered him and he was in much to good a mood to be bothered at the moment. He motioned for her to come to his side of the fire and she did, rubbing her arms briskly.

"I didn't really believe you when you said it would end up getting this chilly up here," she said once she was standing next to the spot he was sitting.

He opened up the blanket. "I can share," he offered, expecting her to take him up on the offer as soon as the words left his mouth.

She stared at him until he raised a brow and then reluctantly she settled herself down in front of him, leaning her back into his chest. His eyes scanned the rest of the camp but no one was looking their way. He brought the blanket back around, like a robe, until they were both wrapped in it.

"It usually don't but there's been a few times we came up here and it was even colder than this."

She felt tense and it started causing him to feel anxious. His arms were around her but they'd been around her plenty of times before so he didn't think that was it. Everything had been fine earlier and he couldn't think of anything that could have happened that would cause her get so... sad. That was the only goddamn word he could think to explain the look on her face.

"What the hell's the matter?" He asked after she didn't say anything after a while.

She shook her head and settled into him further, her hands running over the tops of his until she was able to link her fingers with his. "Just tired. It's been a long day."

"I'm callin' bullshit," he muttered low in her ear.

She shivered but he had a feeling that it wasn't from the cold. "It's true."

"Maybe," he agreed, "but that ain't what's eating you. I know your quirks woman. I've been around you enough to know when somethin' is wrong."

"It isn't anything you have to worry about, Daryl. I've just been thinking. I'm fine, really," she said.

He shook his head, not believing her at all. Sighing heavily he gave up for now. She would do what she always did and tell him what was bothering her later. Maybe he shouldn't have forced her to come up here. Maybe she really would have been better off staying behind so she could run the shop.

"Stop it," she muttered, leaning her head back against his shoulder.

"Stop what?" He asked.

"Now you're getting all tense."

"I'm callin' it a night," Merle said suddenly, causing both of them to jump. He stood up and stretched.

After that Damon, Sophia and Piper also disbanded, going off to their own tents for the night. The kids camp was closer to Merle's but Daryl trusted that Merle would keep his ears sharp. He worried about Damon and Sophia. Sometimes it was easy to forget that they weren't all related. No matter what it was like at home, they were two sixteen year old kids that lived under the same roof. They weren't siblings and Daryl was starting to worry that something was going to end up happening.

Once everyone was gone, other than Andrea and Buck who seemed to be deep in conversation across the fire, she still didn't seem able to relax. Daryl glanced at the retreating figures of the kids and then back to Buck and Andrea. As far as those twowere concerned there wasn't anyone else around at all.

"She wants to sleep with your dad," Carol whispered, turning her head slightly.

Daryl scowled. "That's fucked up."

She shrugged. "That's Andrea. She's not shy. If she wants someone, she'll jump in bed with them."

"So, your best friend is a slut?" He asked.

She slapped the hand he had pressed against her stomach. "No, she isn't a slut." She sounded offended on Andrea's behalf but he could feel her laugh a little.

"I guess you're right. Didn't take me no time to get you in my bed and I know you ain't a slut."

She laughed again and seemed to relax just a little. She was quiet for a while and when she did speak again she didn't toss around any jokes about them sleeping together. "Do you want Sophia and I to start saving money so we can find our own place?" She asked softly, her fingers tightening around his like she was bracing herself for his answer.

His heart sped up with something that almost felt like panic at the prospect of her leaving and involuntarily his arm tightened around her. He swallowed hard. Did she want to leave? Was their weird arrangement too... weird for her? Was she ready to start dating people and figured that they would stay true to their word and not see anyone while living in the same house?

"Daryl?" Her voice sounded slightly shaky.

"Do you wanna move out?" He asked.

She let out a heavy breath and then shook her head.

He decided that he needed to say it, even though he still wasn't sure what she wanted to hear it but when he opened his mouth, the words that he had meant to say got stuck. He wanted to tell her that he didn't want her to go anywhere because he was out of his fucking head in love with her, but those words sounded so foreign, even in his own mind, that he couldn't force them out. "I kinda thought that you two were there for good," he said instead.

"Do you want us there for good?" She asked.

He had the strange feeling that this was the moment that the scales were about to tip one way or the other, whether he admitted his feelings to her or not. They couldn't keep doing what they had been doing. He wasn't sure about her but for him, it was torture. But was he truly ready for more? If something happened and things didn't work out, the kids would suffer for it. Right now they had them both and things were good. Things were goddamn good. But things needed to move one way or another and it seemed like whatever his next words were, would be the words that would cause a shift in everything. "I want you there for good," he said, the words almost sticking in his throat.

"What does that mean though?" She asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

He dropped his forehead to her shoulder. He didn't know what to say now. "I guess that means that I ain't too fond of the thought of you livin' somewhere else."

"Because of the kids?" She asked.

"That's part of it." Why was she forcing him to talk about this?

"What we're doing isn't normal," she whispered.

It wasn't normal and he knew that but it worked for them. Or he thought that it worked for them. It was obvious that something had happened, right under his nose, and now something about their arrangement was bothering her. "What do you want? Normal or not, you seemed okay with it up until now."

She shrugged lightly and moved her head so she could look at him. When he met her eyes and held her gaze there was something there that hadn't been there before. Something extremely subtle, but he knew it. Something had changed and like he suspected, it was going to have a hell of an affect on him.

He didn't know what was going on in her head. He wanted to know but it didn't look like she was willing to say anything else. He didn't know what else to do so he just did what he wanted. He glanced up, realized that Buck and Andrea were gone, and then he kissed her.

It was just a kiss. It was his lips pressing against hers for a few seconds and then he moved his head away but the way she was looking at him made him feel like he'd done a lot more than kiss her. He wished that he understood women better and could figure out what the fuck had happened to her within the last few hours that had her changing her attitude like this.

With a sigh she settled back down, leaning into him and pulling the blanket around them tighter. "Are you tired?"

He rested his chin on her shoulder and shook his head. "You?"

"Surprisingly, no. I thought I would be after battling a hangover all day but I feel fine now."

"You should be sleepy," he muttered, his nose skimming her throat. He hadn't even meant to but her scent was doing something to him that probably wasn't a good thing.

"I don't want to go to bed yet. We've barely had a chance to spend any time together today," she muttered, sounding almost embarrassed. "I slept through the whole trip and then you took off as soon as you had camp set up."

She didn't have to be embarrassed for feeling that way because he had been thinking the same thing earlier. They really did spend a lot of time together. He was used to it and he'd realized that he had been missing it earlier. He knew that there were things he needed to say to her. He needed to just fucking tell her that he wanted to be with her. Really be with her. But saying shit like that wasn't easy. Instead of saying anything he leaned further into the log, pulling her back with him. They both watched the flames without saying another word for a long time.


	46. Chapter 46

_Casiopie:If damon and sophia hook up you're basically making brother and sister have sex. Might not be blood between them but its clear the family dynamics and its a bit disgusting you taking it there. If you want to make a teenager be a s*** write bethyl._

 **Oh dear. Dear dear, Casiopie. Seems like your sweet self is having some real yucky fantasies there, friend. Shame on you! Because so far in this story, Damon and Sophia have been nothing short of supportive of each other. And even if they were together, that doesn't make Sophia a slut. But trust me, even if that wasn't in the cards, it is now. Just because I think it needs spiced up ;) And since YOU are the one that insinuated a sexual relationship between the two, it's obvious your closeted ass wants it.**

 _Casiopie:Another thing is the complete lack of respect and victimization this story encompasses._

 **Your outrage is so endearing! Me and my big bad stories full of victimizing and disrespecting women. Again, since these reviews were on the last chapter, I kind of feel like maybe... juuuust maybe, it turns you on. Here's some advice. From me to you. It seems as though you wouldn't be so dang easily offended, if you went out and found yourself someone to screw. Just hop right down of that feminist high horse of yours and find a big strong lady/man for yourself. You know, to take the edge off. If you did, I bet you'd feel better. Until then, there's always Amazon. You can order something special and go fuck yourself. =)**

 **To the rest of you, my apologies. Seriously. I just find it hard to not respond to dumb ass people. Some are easy to ignore but others, not so much.**

 **Chapter Forty Six**

She didn't know how long they sat there like that before he started shifting behind her. Despite how depressed she felt she couldn't help but smile.

"My fuckin' ass hurts," he grumbled.

"A few more minutes," she said quietly.

"You know, we can get in the tent and not go to sleep."

She shook her head and then felt his breath blow out in an irritated sigh next to her ear. "You're like a little boy. You can't sit still."

"I've been sittin' still."

"I knew it wouldn't take you long to start complaining about something," she muttered.

His teeth nipped her neck playfully. "Shut up."

She sucked in a breath at the feel of his teeth on her skin. It was involuntary. She couldn't help it but he heard the small sound, his body tensing behind her. And just like that her body was on fire. She tilted her head slightly, giving him more access, hoping he took it as an invitation. She couldn't do this anymore. She couldn't be this close to him without him touching her anymore.

He wasn't a clueless man. His lips returned to her skin and his hands pulled away from hers, slipping under her shirt, over her ribcage. Her eyes slid shut as his hands mapped her out, massaging her breasts and trying to be gentle about it but that just wasn't him. She could feel the rise and fall of his chest against her back, faster than before. She was almost panting herself, the anticipation intoxicating as one of his hands slid back down her body, slipping under the waistband of the sweats she had brought to sleep in.

"Goddamn," he whispered roughly into her ear as his fingers played over her.

Her back pressed into him harder as he sank two fingers into her. She gripped his thighs and he used his free hands to open her legs further. She hadn't realized how tightly she was wound until she felt that telltale flutter down low. He had barely gotten started yet and already he was making her fall apart. And it was intense. He moved his free hand from under her shirt and clamped it over her mouth before she realized she'd made a sound.

She heard him curse but barely registered the sound as the pleasure tore through her over and over. As soon as it was over she pushed his hand away and he removed the one clamped over her mouth. She quickly moved so she was on her knees and then turned, her lips finding his easily since he was already pulling her against him.

"Tent," he muttered against her lips, pulling himself up off the ground and dragging her with him. Once they were standing he actually backed her towards their temporary shelter and didn't let her go until he had no choice. When he did he turned her so she was facing the tent and gave her a small shove towards it.

She didn't need to be told twice. She crawled in, turning just in time to feel his mouth on hers as he forced her onto her back. She fumbled with the buttons on his shirt for a few seconds but she couldn't get her fingers to work. All she could think about was the heavy pressure of his body pressing hers into the sleeping bag. She tore the shirt open, ripping the buttons and then pushing it off his broad shoulders. He did some maneuvering to shove it the rest of the way off. His skin felt hot and smooth under her touch and she didn't think she would ever be able to get her fill of touching him. Every hard angle of him needed to be explored.

His hands slid down to her waist, moving her shirt up until she was squirming out of it. His mouth instantly went to her breast, his teeth grazing the tender flesh until she was whimpering. His large hands encased her ribcage as his lips blazed a hot wet trail down her stomach.

She protested when he came up on his knees but then she realized what he wanted. She quickly lifted her hips so he could pull her pants down her legs. He gripped her ankle, moving one leg up over his shoulder. He moved back down, surprising her and causing her go up on her elbows as he bit into her thigh just enough to sting, then licked the sting away. He pushed her other leg so she was splayed before him shamelessly and then she gasped when she felt his mouth on her, his tongue tasting her fully as his eyes came up to meet hers.

She had always admired his mouth. It was truly a great mouth and she had been blessed with the site of his quick tongue more than a few times but she had never imagine that he could do anything like this with it. He would drive her right there to the very edge and then right before that first wave would hit her he would pull away. He did it over and over until her body was literally throbbing with need.

After torturing her, pulling away for the forth time he started all over again with a different technique. When his tongue ran over her, concentrating on that one glorious spot, it was with a feather light touch and a quickness that vibrated through her. She couldn't take this for very much longer and she was terrified he would stop again when she was close. "God, please don't stop," she begged as that incredible pressure had her shoulders hitting their makeshift bed.

He didn't stop and since he had stopped so many times before, teasing her relentlessly, she was slammed with so much sensation at once that she couldn't breath. As soon as she let out a strangled cry she felt his fingers move into her, quick circular motions causing her to jerk and bringing the sensations to a level that nearly had her blacking out. Her hands, that had been fisted in his hair dropped to her sides when it all finally tapered off.

He raised up on his knees and ran his hand through his hair before he started frantically yanking his belt off. She was too shocked to do anything at the moment. She had never felt anything like that in her life. She was having trouble concentrating on anything other than the aftershocks that caused her muscles to spasm. Well, that wasn't true. She was pretty focused on the fact that he was kicking his pants off and this was finally going to happen.

Before he could do anything else she planted both of her hands on his chest, stopping him. He froze, his eyes growing wide. "Fuck. I'm sorry. I thought you wanted to..."

She shook her head, forcing her mind to concentrate. She wanted this. She wanted this more than she had ever wanted anything but she had to tell him first. She didn't want him thinking that this was happening without it meaning something. "I want to. I just..." her voice trailed off as she met his eyes. The fire outside was dying and it was getting harder to see his face.

"What?" He asked. "If you don't want to that's alright. I-"

"I want to be with you," she said quickly.

"What?" He asked, sounding genuinely puzzled.

She rushed on before she lost her nerve. "I don't want us just pretending. I want to be with you. Really be with you. We've been so stupid and stubborn." She bit her lip, waiting for him to argue but was rewarded with a brilliant grin instead.

"Good," he muttered before his lips met hers.

"Good?" She asked when he pulled away.

He nodded.

"You aren't just saying that because you want to do it?" She asked suspiciously.

He shook his head and groaned. "'Course not. Goddamn it, Carol, you know me better than that."

She nodded and then pulled his face back down to hers. That was permission enough for him and he finally moved, filling her slowly.

~H~

He was trying to remember why the fuck they hadn't been doing this all along but his mind wasn't cooperating at the moment. She moaned, a pathetic sound that somehow urged him on as her hands roamed over his shoulders, nails dragging across his skin. He could still feel the aftershocks rocking through her, every one of them agony for him because she was so goddamn tight. If he had ever felt anything better than this in his life, he sure as fuck couldn't remember it.

He had no choice but to move slow. He was afraid that if he moved any faster he'd end up hurting her, but she sure as fuck wasn't acting like she was in any kind of pain, despite the way she gripped him as he eased into her.

Her eyes were slightly glazed when he was finally nestled deep inside of her, a look of mild shock on her face. She blinked a few times and then finally her eyes met his, her fingers trailing down his arms, mapping out the straining muscles there. "Is that it or are you planning on moving at all?" She asked, one eyebrow raising.

He laughed and then and moved, no longer worrying that he was going to cause her any pain. His mouth came down on hers, drowning out the sounds of pleasure as he moved into that incredible heat, setting an almost brutal pace. He wasn't thinking clearly because he'd wanted this for a long time, the temptation always so close and it did something to his head. Broken sounds fell from her lips as she clung to him. A part of him thought that maybe he should slow it down, be easier with her, but when he did her nails dug into his lower back.

"Don't... stop..."

And it would send him slamming into her harder than before.

"Daryl," she whispered, her nails digging into his back and her teeth sinking into the side of his neck, near the scar she'd left on him before. He felt it then, more warmth flooding around him right before she tightened, causing him to growl. He hadn't expected this. She had gotten off twice before this and he wasn't sure if she had anymore in her but Jesus Christ she was coming again and he was struggling to hang on.

He bit his lip hard, focusing on the pain instead of the need to lose himself inside her. He slowed his pace, unwilling to give up this moment, no matter how goddamn good he knew it was going to feel when he finally did. They had waited way to fucking long for him to not make it last.

He felt her lips next to his ear then and she ruined it for him. "Stop fighting it, Daryl. I wanna feel you."

"Goddamn it," he growled. As soon as the words left his mouth he sped up, jarring her. If that was what she wanted then that's what she could have. Deeper and harder he drove until he was the one fighting back any sounds he might make. Her legs wound around him pulling him deeper and he gasped when he finally let go. "Fuckin' Christ," he whispered, dropping his head to her chest and letting her body coiling around his drain him.

Her heart thundered under his ear and he closed his eyes for a few moments, savoring the sound. He should have told her before all this happened. He had the urge to tell her now but he wondered if she would think that it was just some phony post orgasm declaration. She told him that she wanted to be with him. To really be with him, so he thought that maybe she felt the same way.

Instead he stayed where he was as her fingers ran lazily through his hair, moving only enough so he was no longer inside of her. He was all muddle brained at the moment but something occurred to him that had him frowning and then raising. He met her eyes.

"What?" she asked, her eyes hooded and her voice sounding slurred. The lack of sleep and everything they had done must have finally exhausted her.

"Tell me that you can't get pregnant," he mumbled, realizing that he was warn the fuck out himself.

She grinned. "Why do you think I never mentioned you using anything? I've been dreaming of having another baby for years."

He raised up on his arms, panic causing him to squint down at her. "Are you fuckin' serious?" He loved her. He knew he loved her. He was pretty sure everyone that knew him knew he loved her but he wasn't ready for anything like that. Maybe he never would be.

She shook her head. "Of course I'm not serious. I got pregnant when Sophia was three years old. A trip down the stairs insured that I wouldn't stay that way. I had my tubes died after that."

He shook his head. "Ed?"

She nodded and then pushed his hair out of his face.

"I wish that son of a bitch was still alive. I'd have killed him a lot slower than you did."

She smiled softly. "You don't have to romance me, Daryl. You already got laid."

He rolled off her then. This was what she did. Things were getting too heavy so she had to relieve the tension. "We need to get to sleep. They'll be up bright and early, draggin' us out of here by our damn feet."

"Are we gonna tell the kids?" She asked as she pulled the other sleeping bag over them.

He snorted. "Oh yeah. We'll give'em all the details in the mornin' as soon as we get up."

She slapped his chest. "You know what I mean. I was serious. I don't want to go back to that. I want us to at least give it a shot."

He nodded, his eyes drifting closed. "It'll be more than givin' it a shot, woman. It's gonna work." He didn't say it to reassure her. He said it because he believed it with everything in him.


	47. Chapter 47

**Okay, so yesterday I may have lashed out a bit. No regrets cause the bitch earned it but I did throw out a lie. It was never my intentions to write a big smut scene with Damon and Sophia and it still isn't in the cards. That was one of the reasons that moron pissed me off. She acted as though it was set in stone, which only tells me that she thinks about teenagers banging a lot more than I do. Okay, I'm getting off topic again. But no, I'll never be able to write a legit smut scene when it comes to what most of you call Daphia. I was just talking smack.**

 **We're down to five chapters folks. Then it's over. Other wips are about to be wrapped up too and then I believe a break is in order. When someone manages to get under my skin like Casiopie did, I know it's time to step back and breath. But I'll be working like crazy on the unposted wips. I think there's like 13 stories. So I won't be far. Lol**

" **Phantom", don't worry, I call you out at the end of this chapter. And I'm not the only one. The other Caryler's you've been trolling are just as annoyed as I am. Expect a lot of feedback.**

 **Chapter Forty Seven**

Damon woke with a start, sitting up quickly and unzipping the tent. He stuck his head out and cursed. "We fell asleep," he hissed, grabbing Sophia's ankle and shaking it.

She sat up quickly. "What?" Already she was as panicked as him.

He stuck his head out of the tent again. "Buck and Merle are already out there."

"What about Daryl and my mom?" She asked, quickly running her hands over her wrinkled shirt.

He shook his head and ran a nervous hand threw his hair. "Maybe we can tell them we've just been in here hanging out."

She snorted, combing her fingers through the tangles in her hair. "I'm sure they'll believe that."

"Fuck," he muttered, glancing around for his own shirt. She handed it to him and he slipped it on quickly. "This was a bad idea."

She sighed. "I'm sorry. I should have stayed in my own tent. I only came in here because I was cold."

He looked up, meeting her eyes and he couldn't help the stupid grin that he felt on his face. "That didn't last long."

Her face flushed and she grabbed the pillow, smacking him with it. "That was your doing."

He nodded. It was true. She had came into his tent, shivering and crawling right into his damn sleeping bag complaining about the cold, and she'd felt cold too so he didn't mind letting her stay for a while. They talked for a long time and then the topic had grown dark.

She told him about what her life was like before her mom had gone to prison. When Ed had been alive. She told him about hiding in the closet with her hands over her ears so she couldn't hear the blows. She had told him about the night she was taken away and the horrifying days that proceeded it.

He had told her about his own hell back then. About Daryl coming to him the night that his parents were killed and the days after that. The mood had become so somber in the tent that the next thing he knew he was kissing her, which was something he had wanted to do for a long time now. And she had kissed him right back, giving him the impression that she had possibly felt the same way.

But now people were up and they were going to see her coming out of his tent and it was obvious that she had been there all night. Daryl was going to hang him from a tree by his balls. "We're busted. We decide to mess around one time and we get busted. Why the hell hadn't we just done this at home?" Damon grumbled.

She blew a strand of hair out of her face and then her hands went to his shoulders. He looked down, meeting her level gaze. She raised her chin. "We're gonna go out there and act like nothing happened. When they look at us like we've done something wrong then we gasp and shame them for taking something as innocent as us sharing a tent for heat and making it look like something dirty."

He thought about that for a second and then nodded. "Alright. All it can do is not work and then I get my ass kicked anyway, right? Besides, nothing happened. We made out and then we went to sleep."

Before she could agree he kissed her, his hands going to her waist. The prospect of getting caught just made it that much more exciting, even though he knew that he'd never hear the end of it. It was worth it.

So fucking worth it.

"Well now, what do we have here?"

Sophia jerked out of his grip so fast she fell right on her ass. "We weren't doing anything," she said quickly, large eyes flicking to the flap that Merle was now peering through.

Merle grinned. "Looks that way. Now get the hell outta there girl. You wanna see Daryl blow a gasket?"

"He's out there?" Damon asked, his heart sinking.

Merle shook his head. "Not yet. But boy you better hope to God you've been keepin' that beast in your pants. And if you ain't then you at least better hope you're bein' careful."

Damon rolled his eyes. "Shut up, Merle. We're not doin' anything like that," he muttered, glancing at the girl who was now as red as he had ever seen her.

"Well, alright then. Get the fuck up and get the fuck at'em assholes. We're fishin'."

Merle ducked back out.

"He is going to tell Daryl," Sophia said, her voice holding a nervous edge.

Damon shook his head. "Nah, maybe he won't. I told him that we weren't doing it."

"And you think he believes you?" She asked skeptically.

He nodded. "Yep. I'm enough like him to have at least bragged about it a little if you'd put out."

She gaped at him but he just kissed her quickly and slipped out of the tent.

~H~

They slept in but no one had bothered to wake them up. It was the heat that finally woke her. The night had been colder but with the sun out in full force, it heated up the small tent like an oven, even though it was set up in the shade.

Finding her clothes wasn't very hard since the space was so small and she was able to get dressed before she heard the sound of footsteps approaching. Daryl hadn't budged and she was surprised because he was usually a pretty light sleeper.

"What he hell are the two of you gonna do? Sleep all fuckin' day? What's with everybody bein' lazy fucks?" Merle asked, taking it upon himself too unzip the tent and stick his head inside.

Carol was just getting her boots on and looked at him with a smile. "It was a long night, Merle."

He hummed and then winked. "I bet if I pull this sleepin' bag off him I'll get a full on view of his white ass."

"Merle, you touch this sleepin' bag and I'm gonna kick you in the face so goddamn hard you won't wake up till this trip is over," Daryl grumbled sleepily.

Merle surprised her when he left the sleeping bag alone but crawled into the small space instead, flashing her a grin and lying down next to Daryl.

Daryl turned his head, glaring at Merle and then rolled over onto his back. "Get outta my tent, Merle," Daryl growled.

Merle folded his arms under his head. "Nah."

Daryl huffed.

"You can't get me out either. Cause you're naked." Merle laughed and then tugged on the sleeping bag. Daryl cursed and yanked it out of his hand.

"Merle, I mean it. Goddamn, can't you act grown for five fuckin' minutes?"

Merle shook his head. "Nope." He pulled the sleeping bag again.

" _Buck_!" Daryl roared suddenly, causing Carol to jump.

Merle sat up, cursing under his breath, all of the humor gone from his face. "You little cry baby bastard."

Daryl just grinned and pointed to the entrance. "Get out."

To Carol's surprise Merle actually left them alone. Daryl eyed her for a moment, studying her carefully without saying anything at all. "What?" She asked when he didn't say anything.

He sat up then, reaching for his pants and slipping them on under the sleeping bag before tossing it off to the side. "I ain't sure yet," he said, dropping back down.

She frowned, worry causing her stomach to do a strange little flip. "What do you mean?"

"Well, so far every time somethin' has happened, we both wake up and pretend that nothin' did. I didn't know if we were back to that," he said, his eyes never leaving hers.

He grunted when she moved quickly, straddling him. His eyebrows shot up and he opened his mouth to say something but he didn't have a chance because she leaned down and kissed him. It was a kiss that told him that last night had definitely changed everything and there was really no turning back this time. At least she hoped that's what the kiss said.

When his hands started drifting up her shirt she broke the kiss and sat up. "No pretending," she said firmly.

His eyes raked over her slowly before coming back up to meet hers. "We're still gonna fight though, right? It's one of the best parts of my day."

She rolled her eyes dramatically. "Of course. We're still us. It's just now when you have to restrain me, you can get naked first."

He laughed and pulled her back down, continuing on where they had left off. She'd never enjoyed kissing someone so much in her life. Probably because she'd never kissed anyone that could kiss like this man could.

"Come the hell on you two!" Buck called from outside.

Carol growled and pulled away. "Why couldn't we have gone camping alone?"

His eyebrows shot up at that.

She climbed off of him and grudgingly crawled out of the tent. Her bag was leaning against the log that they had been sitting by the night before and she quickly grabbed a change of clothes. Daryl finally emerged, shirtless and smiling slightly to himself.

"You two have a rough night?"

Carol turned and saw Andrea standing there, hands on her hips and a knowing grin in place. "Actually, it was a very smooth night. And before you ask, it was the best sex I think anyone's had in the history of sex." She smiled and then walked past a gaping Andrea. When she glanced over her shoulder Daryl was staring at her, his face redder than she had ever seen it before and his eyes wide. She was actually blushing herself but she wasn't going to let Andrea torture her this whole trip. She would get it out of the way herself.

She remembered something then and turned. "Hey, how was your night?" She asked, knowing that Andrea and Buck had been the two people left at the fire last night and while her and Daryl were preoccupied, the two of them had left.

Andrea shrugged. "Just like I thought," she said loudly. "The man is huge."

Carol laughed.

"Oh God!" Daryl shook his head, the look on his face, priceless.

 **To the reviewer that is upset about how mean I am to Beth, just a quick reminder that she isn't in this story. And she sucks. That's common knowledge. But I never go rag on other stories with her in it. I'm too busy for that sort of thing. The only person I've messaged, angrily, is DarylDixon'sLover, because her reviews consisted of Carol bashing and pleads to spare Beth's life. By the way, "Phantom" You sound like her. If you aren't, that might be something you want to work on a bit. I blocked her a long time ago when I learned she stole Caryl stories at one time and turned them into Bethyl and passed them off as her own. Not cool at all.**


	48. Chapter 48

**I'm going to break my own rules and post all weekend for this because I think I'm going to have to switch internet providers and I'm not sure how long that whole process is going to take. I don't want to disappear for a week or more with just a few chapters hanging in the air. Hope you are staying warm. Thanks for reading!**

 **Chapter Forty Eight**

Daryl was good at ignoring Merle. He'd learned early on that the best way to handle Merle most of the time was to just ignore him. What he wasn't used to was Merle ignoring _him_. That was weird and it made him uneasy. Sure, they were trying to catch some fish and all of them were usually quiet when they were fishing but Merle had been acting weird. Weirder than usual anyway.

"What the hell is your deal, Merle?" Daryl asked, casting his line and glancing at his brother.

Merle frowned, his eyes staying on the water. "Not a thing."

Daryl huffed. "Goddamn it, Merle."

"What?" Merle asked without looking at him. "I ain't gave you any shit today besides this mornin'. Leave me the hell alone."

Daryl wasn't about to let it go but then he looked up just in time to see Damon watching them carefully. The boy looked away quickly but there was definitely something there. Something was going on for sure.

"You and Carol, you two ever gonna take this shit serious? Or is she gonna move on out on her own after a while?" Merle asked suddenly.

Daryl tore his gaze away from Damon and then shrugged. "You askin' if she's gonna be on the market any time soon the answer is no."

"Ain't what I was getting at. I just mean, are you two giving it a real go? You ain't just dippin' in her cause she's there for the moment?"

Daryl scowled. "No. Goddamn, Merle."

"So y'all are probably gonna live together till she gets sick of you and leaves, right? All serious like and shit?"

"What the hell are you getting at for fucks sake?" Daryl snapped.

Merle sighed heavily. "I feel like a fuckin' snitch, man. But if it was Piper in the same situation then I'd hope you told me about it."

"Piper? God, would you just tell me where you're goin' with this?" Daryl was starting to feel panicked. If it had something to so with the kids then he wanted to know right damn now.

Merle grumbled to himself and Daryl could see that he was really struggling with whatever he had on his mind. "I went to wake everybody up this mornin' since I was the first one out of bed for once. Caught Damon and Sophia all over each other in his tent and it looked like she'd probably been there all night."

Daryl grew perfectly still, his eyes widening. Surely not. Surely those two knew better than to try any shit like that! Right under his goddamn nose? Not that he'd been paying any damn attention. He'd been too busy.

"Take it easy, brother. Damn," Merle muttered, looking guilty for saying anything. "They're teenagers. They're healthy. Damon's a Dixon."

Daryl shook his head. "Nah. You probably got it all wrong. It was cold. Maybe she just went in their cause she was too cold in her own tent."

Merle shook his head. "They looked pretty heated when I showed up, little brother. Boy had his hands all over her ass and there was some serious tongue action goin' on."

Daryl scowled. "Fuck."

"Possibly. Like I said, I ain't sure. Damon said they didn't but you know how that is."

"What the fuck am I suppose to do?" Daryl asked out loud but he was mostly talking to himself.

Merle shrugged. "No clue. Put her little ass on the pill. Stock him up with a lifetime supply of rubbers and then turn'em loose. I ain't gotta worry about that sort of shit. Piper's the good one."

Daryl glanced across the river just as Piper stuck her foot out, tripping Damon and causing him to nearly fall on his face. She laughed as the boy pulled himself up off the ground and glared down at her.

"That's my girl," Merle grinned.

~H~

Carol kept glancing towards the woods, waiting for the others to come back. Her and Andrea had once again opted out of the activities, claiming that they needed to man the fires to get out of having to touch squirming fish. Andrea had been quiet for the most part, which was surprising.

"So, you and Buck? I really didn't see that coming," she mused as she poked at the fire.

"So, best sex in the history of sex, huh? Trust me, I didn't see that coming either."

Carol ran a hand through her hair, memories from the night before tumbling through her mind and causing her to flush. She'd expected it. From the other times they had messed around, she knew that if it ever did happen, it would completely blow her mind, and it had. "We have chemistry," she shrugged.

"You have something all right."

She grew quiet for a few moments, her thoughts turning to their strange relationship and how terrifying it really was to feel this way about a man. "I'm scared," she blurted out suddenly, surprising her and Andrea both.

Andrea looked up just as Carol sat down a few feet away. There was no more humor in her pale eyes. "Look, I know what I said before but I was wrong. He's crazy about you. I don't really think he'd hurt you. Not like Ed did."

Carol blew out a breath. "He'd never do anything like that. I already know that much. But I spent the last six years telling myself every day that I wouldn't do this again. I wouldn't try to be with anyone. My marriage was... well, it was a fucking nightmare. I didn't love Ed. He didn't love me. Everything was so damn cold in that house, almost from the start. And now, I've barely gotten a real taste of freedom and everything is happening extremely fast. I think I'm scared of being let down."

Andrea studied her for a few long moments. "Do you really think he has the potential to let you down?"

She wanted to think that he did just because she wanted to have it in her head that it was a possibility. If she already thought that he had it him to let her down somehow then when it happened she wouldn't be devastated about it. But she couldn't force it. Besides, it was her that had insisted last night that what they had been about to do wasn't just another example of their obvious lust towards the other. She was the one that told him that she wanted a relationship with him so it was all on her. "I don't think he does. Not really."

"You're just out of practice. You've never had healthy relationships with men. Your father, Ed. God, if you weren't a little bit jittery then I'd have you committed. But I'll say this. In all the years I've known you, I've never seen you light up like you do when he's around. It makes me want to throw up." She smiled.

Carol felt the corner of her mouth turn up at that. It was true. She was letting herself get worked up over nothing because of her past. That wasn't fair. It wasn't fair to her and it wasn't fair to him.

"You love him and he loves you and you two have a strong relationship. Everything is going to be fine," Andrea said with a grin.

They both looked up when the group stepped out of the trees. Her smile died when she got a good look at the expression on Daryl's face. Merle avoided looking at anyone and veered off, heading straight to his camp. Damon and Sophia kept glancing at each other. The only ones that didn't seem off in some way was Buck and Piper.

"We need to talk," Daryl said by way of greeting, grabbing her hand and pulling her along with him as he passed by. He didn't stop until they were standing behind a tree close to their tent. When he finally dropped her hand and met her eyes he looked upset. "You sure you wanna give this whole thing a shot?"

She swallowed hard, fear causing her hands to grow damp. He was having seconds thoughts already. Or maybe he only agreed because he wanted to fuck her. Oh God, why had she let any of that happen? "Do you?" She asked instead of answering him.

He ran a hand through his hair. "Yeah I do but I need to know right now that you ain't gonna tuck tail and run if somethin' happens that you weren't prepared for. I need to know right now that you weren't talkin' out your ass."

She frowned. He didn't sound like a man that was wanting to back out of a relationship. "Of course I wouldn't. I meant what I said."

"Merle caught Damon and Sophia in his tent this morning. She'd been there all night and they were all over each other," he said, watching her carefully to gauge her reaction.

Her mouth dropped open. "What?"

He ran a hand through his hair. "That's what Merle said. And he wasn't bullshitting either because he didn't want to tell me."

She glanced over shoulder, her heart sinking. "We were so stupid to think that this wouldn't happen," she said, shaking her head.

He was watching her carefully, waiting for her to come up with some sort of solution. When she didn't say anything he blew out a breath. "What the hell do we do?"

"We have to talk to them."

He snorted. "We done talked to them!"

"We did talk to them, didn't we? God, how could they be so..." Her voice trailed and she shook her head hard.

"Human?" He asked, raising a brow. "It ain't like we've been very good role models or anything. You're in my bed every damn night."

"But until last night we weren't doing it! Besides, we aren't sixteen!" She hissed. "Do you think? Oh my God. They're having sex in our house! Right under the same roof and we've been so stuck up each others asses that we haven't even seen it! She could be pregnant right now!"

"Don't say that! We don't know if they've done it," he gaped at her but his words didn't sooth her frayed nerves. "Hell, we hadn't even done it till last night."

She made a face. "We've done other things," she muttered.

"Oh God, quit sayin' shit like that. They weren't doin' anything like that either." He looked like he was about to be sick. "Why didn't we see this comin'?"

She didn't have an answer. Well, she did but she didn't want to voice it. They had been so wrapped up in themselves and Sophia's recovery that the thought of the two teenagers actually doing something that teenagers were known to do hadn't crossed their minds. She took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "We'll be fine."

He gave her skeptical look.

"What? We're tough. We made a decision last night and now it's about to be put to the test. If you aren't up for it then tell me now." She steeled herself for his response.

He sighed heavily and ran a hand through his hair. "I thought, if we were gonna have any issues, it'd be cause you're crazy, not because of them two."

She scowled but then he grinned and pulled her closer quickly, kissing her hard. When he pulled away he gave her a nod. "You're right. We got this."

"So, how do we do this?" She asked.

He ran his hands down her hips but his eyes were looking past her, thoughtful. The corner of his mouth turned up and then he met her eyes. "Just follow my lead."

"Oh God. I don't like that look," she said, a shiver running up her spine when his hands slid up the back of her shirt. Now was definitely not the time to think of his hands and the things he could do with them.

"They ain't gonna like it either," he said, removing his hands and then grabbing hers so he could pull her along.


	49. Chapter 49

**Happy Valentines Day to those of you that don't hate it! I didn't get flowers or chocolate or any fancy jewelry but I got a shiny new gun with a spare magazine, which comes in handy when you live in lovely Appalachia where your neighbors are hungry black bears and such.**

 **Another thing, since this is the day to spread the love and all that. I just wanted to say that, I never really expected a whole lot of feedback for this story. I knew that it would rub some people the wrong way, since people are so sensitive and stuff, so I really wanted to say thank you. And not only for reading, but for all of the incredible support when bitter people, who spend more time trying to bring people down than finishing up some of their own stories, decide to "attack". It pisses me off, sure, but at the end of the day, we have a good laugh at their expense through reviews, pm's and emails. With you guys around, it isn't easy to stay mad. So, again, you guys are awesome, and the reason that I'll always keep at it.**

 **Chapter Forty Nine**

Damon caught Sophia's eye from across the fire and she smiled slightly before looking away. She was blushing like crazy, which made him grin like an idiot and look away himself. He hadn't meant for any of that to happen but he wasn't sorry that it had. The girl he had brought home from that party was like a ghost and this new girl, well, this new girl was pretty fucking awesome.

Besides, Daryl assured him, all the time, that him and Carol weren't a thing. Maybe if they were it would be different but why shouldn't he be with Sophia if Daryl wasn't going to be with Carol? It just didn't make sense for all of them to be weird and miserable.

"I'm gonna go on a walk. You wanna go?" Sophia asked Piper as she stood up.

Piper shook her head, her eyes trained on a piece of wood she was carving. When the girl went into artist mode, you couldn't get her to do anything.

Damon stood up. "I'll go."

Sophia met his eyes. "Well, lets go then. I'm sure you know all the good places anyway."

They headed towards the thicker trees and he made sure no one was paying any attention to them. There was a deer trail close and as soon as they were a safe distance away, he rounded on her. He didn't give her a chance to say anything at all before he was pulling her closer. She grinned coming up on her toes so she could meet him halfway.

He'd made out with plenty of chicks before but making out with this one was a hell of a lot different. He wasn't sure why but when he was with her, with her like this, his head felt all fucked up and chest did weird shit and his stomach twisted up in a knot and it was all fucking great.

There was a low outcropping of rock that formed a natural shelf just a few feet from the trail they were on. Without giving it a second thought he picked her up, not even breaking the kiss, and sat her down on the rock. He knew that he probably needed to slow the hell down. Maybe try to remember where they were, but that was easier said than done. Especially when her warm hands slid up the front of his shirt, working up to his chest.

She broke the kiss, staring at him with eyes as huge as saucers. There were a lot of questions in that look but he wasn't sure how to answer any of them. That voice in the back of his head told him this wasn't a good idea. Told him to slow this back down. But he didn't want to. He tore his shirt over his head and then his mouth was right back on hers. He pulled her closer, which only made his thought process that much more muddled.

~H~

"Where are they?" Daryl asked, scanning the camp.

Piper was so focused on the piece of wood in her hand that he was surprised that she'd heard him. She didn't look up when she spoke. "Nearest dear trail I think. I was sensing some serious tension of a sexual nature too so if you hurry you may be able to keep Sophia from being on the next Sixteen and Pregnant season. But knowing Damon, and God knows I do, she's already halfway there. The boy moves fast."

Daryl heard Carol make a strangled sound and then he was cursing, pulling her towards the woods.

"You two shoulda saw this comin'!" Piper called after them but Daryl ignored her.

"They wouldn't," Carol said, panic clear in her voice.

"I'd like to think they wouldn't but Piper was right. Damon ain't never had any trouble when it came to girls. He finds one he wants and..." He let his voice trail off and they both stopped in their tracks just as they rounded a bend in the trail. So far so good. Sophia was still completely dressed but Damon was in the process of taking off his shirt.

Carol covered her mouth with her hand, her eyes wide. Daryl leaned in closer.

"Remember, just follow my lead," he whispered, his eyes never leaving the two teenagers. He hesitated for a few seconds but when he saw Damon's fingers working the buttons of Sophia's shirt, quicker than he thought possible, he cleared his throat loudly.

Damon seemed to tense, his hands dropping from the girl's shirt, which was barely held together by just the last three or four buttons, and broke the kiss. From where Daryl and Carol were standing they could hear his muttered curse. "You two enjoyin' your afternoon?" Daryl asked casually, leaning his shoulder against a tree and crossing his feet at the ankles.

Sophia was hurriedly buttoning her shirt, her face red and her eyes wide. Damon eased out from between her legs, ran a hand through is hair and then turned around, scooping up his shirt and slipping it on before leaning into the rock face.

"Well?" Daryl asked as Damon swiped a hand over his face.

"We _were_ enjoying it," Damon answered as honestly as he could.

Daryl felt a headache coming on but he made sure his features were schooled. Sophia still wouldn't look up but she slid off the rock and stood next to Damon. "How many times you two gotten away with it without getting caught?" Daryl asked, that calm getting harder and harder to hold on to. It looked like Carol had a lot she wanted to say but she was letting him do all the talking.

"Never. We've..." Sophia's voice trailed off when she looked up at Carol. "We were just kissing. It isn't a big deal."

"You missed a button," Daryl pointed out dryly.

Sophia looked down, mortified, and hurriedly fixed it.

Daryl sighed heavily and looked down at Carol. "Well, you called it."

Carol looked at him, not knowing what the hell he was talking about but she nodded along. "I told you."

"What are talking about?" Damon asked, crossing his arms over his chest.

Daryl shrugged. "Can't have you two livin' under the same roof if we gotta worry about you not keepin' it in your pants."

Damon's face paled and him and Sophia shared a startled look. "What? It was in my pants, I swear to God! You can see that it was in my pants!"

Daryl shared a look with Carol, her eyes wide and troubled. "How long it gonna stay there? Too risky. It's probably better this way. What do you think?" He glanced at Carol again and she took a deep breath.

"I think it's the smartest thing. We can let them date. There's a nice two bedroom apartment that just came up for rent not far from the shop. Remember me telling you about it a few days ago?"

He nodded. "Yeah, I wouldn't exactly call it nice, though. It's small and it has a bug problem. Rent is pretty cheap, though." They both looked back at the two kids standing their gaping at them.

It was Sophia who finally spoke up. "I'm not moving anywhere! This is stupid! We didn't do anything! Not anything the two of you haven't already done."

Damon shook his head and elbowed her. "I won't touch her again. I swear to God! I've gone this long without touchin' her for Christ's sake! We're sixteen years old and had a moment of weakness!"

"Merle told me about catchin' her in your tent this mornin'."

"Two moments of weakness!" Damon nearly yelled, throwing his arms in the air dramatically. "Okay? It was stupid. It won't happen again. I swear to God!"

Carol shook her head then. "You have to realize how that just couldn't work, right? It was one thing when you two were friends but that doesn't seem to be the case anymore. It's better all the way around if you two didn't live together. We're responsible for the two of you. How could we, in good conscience, continue letting the two of you live under the same roof when we know that while we're asleep, you two could be doing any number of things?"

Sophia was near tears, wringing her hands in front of her and staring at him with wide desperate eyes and Daryl nearly gave in then but he wouldn't. For the rest of this trip the two of them would have to think about Carol and Sophia living in some shit apartment. Maybe then those stupid kids would think before something like this ever happened again.

Goddamn it! Just when things seemed to be getting better. The damn moment him and Carol decide to give this thing a real shot, those two had to go pull some stupid shit like this! He gave them a disappointed look and both their eyes went to their boots. "You two go on back to camp."

Without a word they took off. Carol watched them go and then turned to face him. "What are we gonna do? Do you really want us to move out?"

He shook his head. "No but maybe if they think that's the plan they'll feel too bad to try it again. It's about all I know to do."

She sighed. "We have to sleep sometime. They could very well be lying. They could have been up to this for a while and we've been too preoccupied to notice."

He leaned against the tree again, his mind trying to come up with a solution to their problem but he couldn't think of one. Hopefully he was able to at least buy them some time before something like this happened again. And he knew it would. He knew how hard it had been for him to keep his damn hands off Carol, and he was a lot older than Damon was. Kids that age thought more with their little head than they did the big one. He made a face at the thought.

"Maybe we should really consid-"

"Don't even say it," he muttered, eying her.

"But if they're-"

"Nope. We ain't talkin' about this anymore. You ain't moving out. I've given every goddamn thing I've got to take care of that boy and I'll be damned if I let those two and their bad decisions fuck this all up for us." He felt his face redden at the proclamation but he'd meant it. He had been good to Damon. He had treated him right over the years, sacrificing his own life so the boy could have one. He deserved to have something good, goddamn it.

She grinned up at him. "Wow."

"Shut up," he growled, pushing away from the tree and storming past him.

"No, I'm really impressed," she said, catching up with him easily. "You must really like me."

He looked down, picking up his pace. "No I don't either. I can't hardly stand you at all."

She stepped right in front of him and turned quickly so he had no choice but to either stop or plow her over. Her eyes had that evil fucking gleam that he was used to seeing. Instead of saying anything, like he expected her to, she grabbed the sides of his face and pulled him down, kissing him hard. When she pulled back she met his eyes. "I can't hardly stand you either."

He snorted and gripped her hand, pulling her along the path before he started getting the same types of bright ideas that Damon had gotten. He wasn't going to do that out here, no matter how appealing the thought of it was.

They were silent, walking slowly back towards the camp, both lost in their own troubled thoughts. Carol stopped suddenly, her gaze shifting nervously.

"What now?" He asked, wondering if he even wanted to hear it.

Finally she met his eyes. The look in hers was a determined one. "I want you to know that I would never consider staying if... I mean, we've been through a whole lot together in a short amount of time and-" Her voice trailed off and she shook her head in frustration. "What I'm trying to say is, I have a lot of faith that this is all going to work out. When two people-"

He laughed quietly and her mouth slammed closed, her eyes narrowing dangerously.

"Why are you laughing at me?" She demanded.

"Because this is my role. You tryin' to tell me that you love me and all you can do is stand there stutterin' over it and shit." He didn't know exactly how he knew that that was what she was trying to say, but he was pretty damn sure.

"And what if I wasn't going to say that at all?" She countered, looking more mad than the moment called for.

He shrugged. "Then I'd feel real stupid for tellin' you that I love you too."

She opened her mouth to say something else but she shut it quickly, stepped into his space and kissed him hard. His hands lingered at her waist when she pulled away, her eyes searching his. "I do."

He nodded. "I know that."

"So we got this."

"Yep."

She kissed him one last time and then grabbed his hand again, leading him now while he tried to get his damn heart to stop pounding so hard.


	50. Chapter 50

**Two more chapters after this one. Someone, I can't remember who it was, mentioned a sequel and I really don't see why not. I have other projects piling up but eventually I wouldn't mind coming back to this. Hope everyone is staying warm and dry. It's cold and wet here. Thanks for reading!**

 **Rv, I really hope you start feeling better soon =/**

 **Chapter Fifty**

The rest of the camping trip went smoothly. Daryl was mad because Carol insisted on sleeping in Sophia's tent after the first night of their trip. It had caused him to be in a bad mood most of the time. Damon looked apologetic for the most part and Sophia looked ashamed of herself but Carol didn't offer either of them any sort of comfort. Even though they were so miserable that she really wanted to.

She spent a lot of time with Sophia and Andrea, who was surprisingly good at all the outdoorsy stuff once she got used to it. They talked a lot about the past, their shared awkward teenage years. They laughed a lot, learned how to skin and clean animals. Andrea only threw up twice during that part, which was impressive.

Piper hesitantly started spending more time with the women once Carol urged her a bit. It was clear that she had been raised by men and spent most of her time with men. She was as brash as her father but she was surprisingly quick witted and Carol found that she enjoyed her company just as much as she enjoyed Damon's. In the beginning the girl had simply been concerned for her family and had lashed out. Carol couldn't hold it against her. She was prone to lash out a little bit herself.

Other than the lack of time spent with Daryl, Carol had to admit that she had a lot of fun and was almost sad when she found herself helping pack up the truck.

"This is the first goddamn time I've been up here and was actually ready to leave when it was time to go," he grumbled, tossing his pack into the back.

She smiled and opened her mouth to tell him that she'd actually enjoyed the trip when she was interrupted with a tap on her shoulder. She turned around and felt her smile drop when she saw Andrea standing there.

"Well, this is goodbye again," she said with a sad smile.

Carol sighed. "I hate this."

Andrea pulled her into a hug and Carol felt her throat get tight with emotion. Saying goodbye was never easy but it seemed especially hard saying goodbye to the only friend that she had managed to hang onto throughout everything that had happened in her life. But it was so much better than the last time she said goodbye to her.

There was no animosity and no tears of regret. And even though she'd miss Andrea like crazy, it was easier to watch her walk away than it would have been if she had made a different decision and Carol herself was the one walking away from Daryl and Damon. "I'll miss you," she said, pulling away enough to grip the woman's arms.

Andrea snorted but Carol saw how misty her eyes had grown. "You won't miss me for long. We'll go out for lunch next Sunday."

Carol raised a brow. "You're going to drive an eight hour round trip just to have lunch with me?"

"Of course not," she laughed. "I'm driving in on Friday and spending the weekend with Buck."

They both looked over as Daryl groaned loudly.

"Buck? You're officially seeing him now?" Carol asked, unable to believe that Andrea would seriously go for a man like Buck. Not that she didn't love him herself, but Andrea was the type that would more than likely pursue a man like Melvin Silverstein, not Buck Dixon.

She shrugged and took a couple of steps back, grinning broadly. "See you in a week."

Carol waved, realized her mouth was hanging open and then closed it. When she turned around, Daryl was already in the truck, probably hiding from another emotional scene. But there wasn't going to be one. The reason she had been so upset before was because Andrea had left town while they hadn't been on the best of terms. Now things were fine. Hell, she was even going to get to see her in a week.

When she climbed into the truck he avoided meeting her eyes until he heard her laugh. He pushed his dark glasses up and eyed her then. "You're so afraid of tears," she grinned.

He blew out a breath and shook his head, some of the tension draining from his shoulders. "I hate that cryin' shit," he muttered, glancing out the mirror as Andrea honked and then flew past them in her SUV. He actually threw his hand up at her when she waved.

"You've been so cranky," she grumbled, grabbing at the seat belt. She cried out when suddenly he had a hold of her wrist and was yanking hard until she was sitting sideways in his lap. Before she could complain about it his mouth was on her and she found herself scrambling up until she was straddling him right there in the drivers seat.

The kiss deepened considerably. Andrea was the last one that had driven away, leaving them alone in the dense shadows of the forest. When he pulled away she was already working his shirt off his shoulders. "Don't even think about tryin' to sleep with that girl once we get home. I'll drag you to bed by your goddamn hair, so help me."

She laughed, raising up on her knees so he could get her pants undone. "That's what your problem is? I haven't been sleeping in the tent with you and it turned you into a crab?"

He physically moved her off of him enough so he could get her jeans off but then she was right back in his lap, his mouth working over hers and causing her to moan. "Somethin' like that," he muttered once his mouth had moved to her throat. Her fingers trembled in anticipation and she was having trouble undoing his pants. When she finally had it she made a triumphant sound, causing him to laugh.

"If it makes you feel any better, I've kind of missed you too," she whispered into his ear once she had him freed from his pants.

They both jumped when her ass hit the horn, laughing because for a split second they thought they had gotten busted. Daryl wrapped an arm around her before reaching down, fiddling under the seat for the lever that would move them back further. She moved over him before he was even sitting up all the way, sinking down faster than she had intended to, taking all of him at once.

He cursed, his hands gripping her waist hard as her head fell onto his shoulder. Her breath was rushing out of her and she had to wait a second to get her bearings. She was still very much out of practice and although her body was more than eager to have him, it was still a shock to her system. His grip loosened on her, work roughened hands slipping around and urging her to move just as her mouth came down on his.

She'd never done anything like this before so she let him guide her hips for a few moments before she got the hang of it. It was a thrill in itself, being with him in the steamy cab of the truck. She had wanted him since that very first time in his tent and avoiding any contact with him had been hard but now she realized, as her body moved over him, that it was better now because of the reprieve.

His grip on her tightened, his blunt nails pressing into her back as he broke the heated kiss. His eyes shot up, his jaw setting hard. "You don't wanna make this some sort of record then you best slow it down, woman," he growled.

A strange thrill ran through her at his words. She could tell now that his body was tense and a slow bead of sweat trailed down his neck. She wasn't there quite yet but that didn't matter at the moment. What mattered at the moment was, this man, as strong as he was, was losing control and she was the one that was the cause of it.

He cursed and then those dark eyes narrowed on hers when she made no move to slow down. His hands slid around, gripping her hips hard, trying to stop her. He knew she wasn't going to get off and the thought of that bothered him. But it didn't bother her. She wanted to watch him fall apart under her. She nearly shuddered at the thought.

"Fuck," he breathed, loosening his hold on her, giving up on any chances that she was going to help him make this good for her. The truth was, it wasn't just good for her. It was an incredible feeling.

She leaned down, her lips next to his ear. "Stop fighting. You know it's too much," she whispered, catching his earlobe between her teeth gently.

His breath exploded from his lungs then and he pushed up into her, jarring her with the force of it. She raised back up and his eyes were narrowed on hers. She thought it was almost over but then his hand snaked between then, his fingers working over her body, setting her nerve endings ablaze. She gasped and then a smug smile graced his lips. "That ain't how this works," he grumbled.

She wasn't going to fight him. Her forehead dropped to his and she braced herself with her hands on his shoulders. She trembled, he smiled, and then she felt her body start to grip his tighter. He felt it too because his fingers quickened. It proved to be too much. The feel of him so deep inside of her and his fingers working her over proved to be more than she could handle.

Pleasure had her losing her rhythm but his grip went back to her hips, picking up the slack. She was too lost to focus much on the fact that he finally let go, his arms going around her and pulling her against him tightly. The sound of his heavy breaths near her ear and the rush of warmth that filled her was the only indication and a part of her, a very small part of her at this point, felt a little cheated.

When his head fell back against the seat's headrest he regarded her with a heavy lidded gaze.

She narrowed her eyes, willing her pulse to slow. "You stole my thunder."

His brows shot up and he grinned. "Should I apologize?"

She laughed and then kissed him hard before she crawled off of him, yanking her jeans up quickly. He used his shirt to wipe the sweat off his face and then rolled the windows down. They had to wait for the condensation from their heavy breathing to fade from the windshield before they could go anywhere. She looked over and smiled at him as he put the truck in gear. "You feel better now?"

He laughed without looking at her, running a hand through his hair. "Yeah, I'd say I feel a lot better now."

She shook her head and gazed out at the scenery flying past. She was ready to get home now. She was ready to start this new life.

~H~

Sophia sat in the back seat of Buck's truck, feeling miserable. In a way she felt a little cheated and in another way she felt a little guilty.

She wasn't an idiot. She totally understood where her mom was coming from. It wasn't like she ever expected her mom and Daryl to be okay with what they had walked up on in the woods, but she hadn't expected their reaction. She hadn't expected them to make a snap decision to move out just because her and Damon got caught kissing.

Even though she knew that had been a lot more than kissing. Or it might have been had there been more time. But that was past because nothing like that could ever happen again because she'd never risk it.

The truck came to a stop and she looked up, realizing they were at a small convenient store. She hadn't even realized they had been on the road for so long. Buck turned in his seat, eying them both. "You two want anything?"

Sophia shook her head and looked away. As soon Buck and Merle were out of the truck Damon poked her in the ribs. She looked up, meeting his eyes and feeling heat flood her face.

"You ain't gotta be so miserable," he said, raising one dark brow at her.

She shrugged. "I'm not."

"They were bluffing. Daryl wouldn't let you guys move into some shit hole. Not just for catching us making out. I've been thinking about it and figured, it might just be a way for them to keep things like that from happening at home."

"Well, it's too risky, anyway," she said, giving up and not even bothering to cover up the sadness in her voice.

He glanced towards the store and then kissed her quickly. There was glint in his eyes that she didn't fully trust and then he grinned. "I get where they're coming from and I have every intention to go by their rules."

She nodded. "Me too."

"While we're at home," he added.

She frowned. "What are you talking about?"

Again his eyes flicked towards the store and then kissed her again. This time she couldn't help but laugh. He grinned. "What I'm saying is, we aren't always at home. I get them not wanting us together or anything but they aught to know better than anybody how that shit is kind of hard to do. So we respect them, make sure we don't let things get out of hand outside of the house, make sure nothing at all happens inside of the house, and everyone wins."

She chewed her lip, thinking about it briefly before nodding. "That sounds doable."

"And just for kicks, I'm gonna torment you a little bit. We can argue, fight, call each other names. Then they'll sleep better at night."

"And meanwhile, we're actually in a legit relationship?" She asked.

He nodded. "Exactly."

"But hands off at home?"

"Yep."

By the time Buck and Merle came back out she was feeling a whole lot better about everything. It wouldn't exactly be easy but nothing ever was. Not really.


	51. Chapter 51

**Chapter Fifty One**

Carol couldn't remember any other summer slipping away like this one was. She felt anxious sometimes because it didn't feel like it was ready to slow down and she desperately wanted it to. She wanted to take a little time and enjoy her life.

Once they got back from their camping trip not a whole lot changed on the outside. Nothing on the outside was any different at all actually. It was the inside that had changed. Her outlook on things had changed. She was truly happy for the first time in her life and it was almost terrifying. Her and Daryl still argued about things like they always had before but, just like before, it never lasted. He was moody sometimes and he would intentionally do things to piss her off sometimes. But at the end of the day, when it was just the two of them up, the overwhelming sense of contentment would settle in.

She was in love with him. And not just him, either. She was in love with her life and that had never been something she even dared to covet. When she was young she had hoped to find this type of life. A warm life where she was surrounded by people that she cared for, but she hadn't managed to obtain it. She went from one cold home to an even colder one.

Having Sophia had given her someone to put all of her focus on and Sophia had loved her back in spades and she was happy with that, despite the hell her life had become. And then there was prison, where it didn't just make her feel cold on the inside, but the outside too. Cold floors, cold bars, cold bunk, cold people. She'd spent her whole life living under a cloud.

And then Daryl Dixon stomped into her life, scowl in place.

She smiled as she worked, arranging stones around the pond that Daryl had recently repaired in the back of June's garden. Carol would never claim it as her own. This was Damon's mom's haven. Carol was just lucky enough to get to use it.

"This place looks great."

She looked up, shielding her eyes from the sun and smiled as Damon knelt down, balancing on the balls of his feet. "You've put in just as much work as I have."

He nodded, glancing around. The two of them worked out here any time they had a chance, usually in companionable silence. The smile that graced his face now was a little sad.

"Do you think she would approve?" Carol asked, genuine curiosity bringing the question to her lips without thinking. He didn't talk about his parents often and never with her. She hoped she hadn't overstepped her bounds with him.

Her worries were for nothing because he grinned and then fell back onto his butt, his long arms draping over his knees. "She approves of all of it."

"All of it?"

He nodded, his smile infectious. "Yeah. What you've done to this place since you got here. The fact that you somehow put up with Daryl's surly ass and you also make sure her son gets to eat more than Captain Crunch for breakfast. You and her woulda gotten along just fine."

He seemed happy talking about his mom and Carol found herself more curious about the woman than she ever had been before. "Tell me about her then."

He met her eyes, worrying his lip a little with his teeth like she'd seen Daryl do when he was thinking too hard. "What do you wanna know?"

Carol shrugged. "I don't know."

He laughed and stretched his legs out in the mulch, leaning back on his arms. "She was great."

Carol sat down, taking her gloves off and leaning back herself. "I figured as much. And I've seen the pictures in the house. Daryl mentioned something about her being born from a reservation out west?"

He pushed his dark hair behind his ears. "Yep. I didn't ever get to meet my mom's parents. Her dad just about shit a brick when he found out she was seeing some burly ass white man that looked like a Hells Angels poster child."

Carol snorted. "So he didn't approve of his little girl falling for a Dixon? I find that hard to believe."

Damon flashed her a grin. "Right? I was thinkin' the same shit when Daryl told me the story. But apparently it put a big rift between all of them and when they found out that they had a half breed grandson on the way, it killed her old man."

She frowned. "Don't call yourself that."

He shrugged. "It's true. My mama was a squaw and my dad was... well I think he was a mutt actually. Dixons have all kinds of blood. Irish, Indian... Anyway, the news apparently gave the old bastard a heart attack but it probably had more to do with the drinking and the fact that he was damn hateful. But the rest of them blamed my mom. Said she broke his heart and killed his spirit so they cut her off."

Carol shook her head. "Damon, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have brought this up."

"Why?" He asked, tilting his head to the side. "It don't bother me to talk about it. My folks were great. Both of them. Sometimes I feel like I got cheated, ya know? Like I should have been able to have more time with them, but the time I had was enough to be able to take away the best qualities of both of them. Every memory I got is a good one. Then when they were gone, I still had family."

Carol swallowed thickly and tried to blink back tears but one escaped. He swiped it away with the rough pad of his thumb.

"You're leaking," he deadpanned.

She laughed and swatted his hand away.

"Anyway, mom, she was a hell of a woman. Sometimes I think that she knew that she wouldn't be around for a long time. She didn't take things for granted like a lot of folks do. She never half assed anything. She loved hard. I was a lucky kid."

She studied him for a few long moments, trying to find a sign of a boy that may have been putting up a front and hiding a little anger at the injustice of it all, but she didn't see any of that. His dark brown eyes, the same shape and shade as his mother's, regarded her curiously. She sighed and shook her head. "You're amazing. You know that?" She asked.

He pushed himself up off the ground and reached for her hand. He pulled her up easily and draped an arm over her shoulder as he steered them towards the house. "You mean that?" He asked.

She looked up, frowning. "You know I mean that," she said, her arm going around his waist.

"Then can you fry chicken tonight?" He grinned down at her.

She laughed and slapped him in the stomach. "Of course," she muttered, like she'd ever deny this boy anything at all.

~H~

"Oh my fucking God! Shit! Shit! Shit!"

Daryl hurriedly shoved himself out from under the car he'd been working on and sat up quickly at the sound of the girl yelling. "The hell's wrong with you!" He asked as he pushed himself up off the ground. "You know the hell I'll catch if your mama hears you hollerin' like that?"

She spun around, her eyes wide and her face pale. "I think I broke it!" She whimpered pitifully, a glaring contrast to her cursing up a storm just a few seconds ago. "I don't wanna look at it. You look at it."

His eyes swept over her, his heart starting to race. She was holding up one foot, biting her lip and trying to blink away tears. "What'd you do?"

She pointed at the sledge hammer lying on the floor and then met his eyes.

He closed the distance, grabbed her under her arms and sat her down on the workbench. "Tell me that didn't land on your foot."

"It landed on my foot!" She wailed.

He'd never seen a girl go from someone that seemed more grown than they should be to a crying child faster than this one did at the moment. "Calm the hell down," he muttered, going to work on untying her shoe. "How the hell did you manage this anyway?" He grumbled.

She sniffed noisily. "I was putting this crap away and I must have hit it with my elbow cause it hurts to," she said, her voice small and pathetic as she held up her arm.

With a sigh he examined her arm and sure enough she had a bruise already forming on her elbow. He shook his head and pulled off the shoe, causing her to hiss in pain. He looked up at her from under his brow. "We both know you're tougher than this."

"Daryl, fuck off! It hurts!" She barked, clearly distressed.

His eyes widened at that and then he looked down and grimaced at the site. The top of her foot was swollen and already bruising bad.

"Oh God, it's bad. It's bleeding, isn't it? I bet there's skin hanging off and bones poking through. I think I'm gonna pass out. Oh, God. I think I'm gonna puke before I pass out. Is there a lot of blood? There's so much blood, isn't there?"

"Sophia," he said, meeting her eyes.

"What?" She said, her face crumpling. "Just tell me. I can take it."

"You bruised the hell out of your foot. Put some ice on it and quit that blubberin'. You sound like Merle."

She leaned down and peered at her foot, wiping at the tears under her eyes. She wiggled it, winced, and then smacked his shoulder hard. "I'm not blubbering! I'm suffering here! How about some compassion you big jackass!"

He sighed heavily and lifted her off the bench, placing her gingerly on one foot. "Can you hobble on up to the house?"

She hopped around for a second and he finally had enough. He picked her up, careful not to bash her foot again the door frame, and carried her all the way into the house. Damon and Carol were already in the kitchen. Of course she was sitting a plate of cookies down in front of him. She was spoiling the damn kid.

Damon looked up, he looked a little smug, until he realized that Sophia was standing on one leg, her eyes all puffy. "What the hell happened to you?" He asked, shoving a cookie into his mouth. He tried to put on an air of indifference but Daryl could see the concern there.

Sophia glowered. "I broke my foot."

He looked down and scowled. "Hurt?"

She rolled her eyes. "No, Damon. It feels amazing. After you get done stuffing your face again we should go for a jog you fat cow."

Daryl chuckled. Him and Carol didn't worry too much about what the kids were doing behind their back anymore. They knew that most of the animosity between the two teenagers was a ruse just to keep him and Carol from suspecting anything, but him and Carol weren't blind. It was clear that the kids were still pretty infatuated with each other but they made it a point to stay away from one another while they were at home. That was all he could ask for really.

Carol helped her to a chair and then examined the foot. "I think you'll be okay. We might want to go get an X-Ray just in case."

Sophia looked up, her eyes wide and then she shook her head. "No! If it's broken they'll try to give me something for the pain. I don't want anything for the pain."

Daryl shook his head. "They can't make you take anything. We'll just ask for some high milligram Tylenol or something."

She finally gave a reluctant nod. "Okay."

He was proud of her. She knew the hunger for the high would come back if she let herself indulge even once. They had all been scared to death that going back to school was going to be hell on her, and for the first few weeks, it was. But eventually, little by little, with the help of Damon and Piper, things quieted.

Things were good for all of them for the most part.


	52. Chapter 52

**So we've reached the end of the road! I would say I was sad but I am ready to finish up the others and take a break. I'm running on empty, so this makes me feel a little accomplished. Thank you all for sticking with it! As always, you're all awesome! As far as this chapter, I must have been feeling mushy and sentimental when I wrote it. Lol But I guess that's okay. Hope you enjoy it!**

 **Chapter Fifty Two**

Sophia creeped out of her bedroom as silently as she could. Her foot wasn't broken but it still hurt to walk on it. Her mom and Daryl had been in bed for over an hour so she was sure they were asleep. She saw the light coming from the front of the house as she made her slow way down the hall.

This was a nightly ritual. They had stayed true to their word. They didn't ever mess around unless they were away from the house, usually in the car at school, and things never got out of hand. They weren't willing to put Daryl and her mom's relationship at risk. But sometimes it was hard.

"Hey," he muttered when she stepped into the kitchen.

She smiled. "Hey."

His eyes went to the open doorway behind her and then back to her. "They asleep?"

She nodded. "I think so. It never matters. We're allowed to be in the kitchen at the same time."

He chewed his bottom lip for a second, waiting until she closed the distance herself. "You know, another year and a few months and we won't have to worry about it anymore."

She couldn't go on her tiptoes because of her foot so she grabbed the sides of his face and pulled him down. His hands went straight to her waist, no wondering, no moving at all, other than his lips on hers. Her own hands cupped his neck, feeling the quick throb of his pulse under her palm.

He broke the kiss as soon as his fingers pressed into her. He stopped every single time he felt that control start to slip. He grinned at her, dropping his hands and taking a cautious step back.

"Night," she said, a little breathlessly.

The grin on his face never faltered. "Night, Sophia."

She gave him another lingering look and then limped back out of the kitchen, to her bedroom. She leaned against it, smiling like a big dork until her pulse slowed down a little. They were good now, but there was nothing wrong with kissing him before bed. Nothing wrong with that at all.

~H~

Carol shut the door silently behind her and crept back into bed.

"Same?" Daryl asked once she was settled in next to him.

"Same," she confirmed with a sigh.

"You still don't think we should say anything?" He asked, rolling onto his side, gripping her around the waist and then rolling back onto his back, dragging her on top of him.

She laughed quietly and tried to squirm away but his grip on her was firm. "I don't think we should. I almost feel bad for spying on them. It's actually really sweet."

He snorted.

"I'm serious," she sat up but he kept his hands on her hips to keep her in place. "They sneak into the kitchen every night just for a goodnight kiss. No groping or anything. They just need that small moment together. It's very sweet." She meant it too. There was something about the way Damon and Sophia were around each other in those quiet few moments when they thought no one was looking that melted her heart a little. Maybe it was just an intense case of puppy love, but she was happy that her daughter found it. And she was happy that she was sure they weren't doing anything other than stealing a kiss every once in a while. At least while they were home.

"I'm sweet," he said in a husky voice, drawing her out of her thoughts.

She laughed, bracing her hands on his chest and leaning down to kiss him. "You have your moments."

"So do you."

She kissed him again. "Not just moments, Dixon. I'm always sweet."

She felt a low rumbled below her hands as he laughed quietly. "No you ain't. You're always a big pain in my ass." He grabbed her hand, fumbled for a second as his fingers moved over them and then dropped it just as quickly as he had picked it up. She sat up, her heart flipping in her chest and then pounding loud in her ears when she realized that there was something on her finger.

He grunted when she lunged for the lamp next to his side of the bed and she would have toppled over if he hadn't had a tight grip on her.

She sat back up, looking down and then gasping at the site of the ring on her finger. Even in the soft light from the lamp the stone shimmered brilliantly. It wasn't huge, but the quality was unlike anything she had ever seen before. The band was white gold filigree, the pattern was intricate and she couldn't stop staring at it. It had to have been the most beautiful thing she had ever seen in her entire life.

~H~

He wasn't sure if this was such a great idea anymore. In his head he had everything worked out but of course he botched it. He told her that she was a huge pain in his ass right before he gave her the ring and when he gave her the fucking thing he hadn't been able to figure out where the fucking hell his voice had gone. And now she was staring at her hand and he was staring at her and they were both completely still and he could feel sweat break out over his forehead. He wanted to wipe it away but was too chicken shit to move because he wasn't sure what she was going to say and he was afraid of drawing attention to himself.

He swallowed around the fear that clogged his throat. She hadn't said a word yet so maybe she wasn't ready for anything like this. They hadn't been together for very long and this was a big fucking move. He'd been thinking about it for over a month, though, and finally decided that buying the ring wouldn't really hurt anything. So he'd done it, without thinking about when or how he'd eventually ask her. He thought he had time.

Why the hell had he given her the goddamn ring when he hadn't been one hundred percent sure she would even want it!

Finally she looked from the ring on her finger and met his eyes. She looked disbelieving but she didn't look upset or anything so that was a good sign. Then her eyes filled up, spilling over before she could even blink. He'd never seen someone's water works turn on so fast in his life.

His heart sank and he sat up. "You ain't gotta keep it. It's not a big deal. Just give it back and I'll go get the money back for it."

She slapped him in the chest so hard he winced, rubbing the spot. As quick as she had slapped him she wrapped her arms around his neck. "You try to take it back and I'll break your hand!"

He rolled his eyes but sighed in relief.

She pulled back, her hands on his shoulders. Her hands were trembling so hard he was surprised she wasn't shaking his whole frame. "Is this what I think it is?"

He nodded and finally swiped the sweat away.

"You're asking me if I want to marry you?"

He flushed and then nodded again, wondering when the fuck it got so hot in the room. He knew the air conditioner was still on and it was going full blast like it always was but he was burning up. He should have thought this through a lot better. He was floundering so hard right now.

"When did you decide to do this?" She asked, searching his eyes. "Jesus, Daryl, you look like a deer trapped in the headlights!"

"Shut up," he grumbled, shifting uncomfortably under her weight. She still hadn't told him yes and he was starting to think that he was close to a panic attack.

"When?"

His eyes widened. Was he suppose to come up with the when part too? He hadn't known that was a part of it at all. He didn't fucking know when. "I don't know."

She looked at the ring again and then grinned. "Where did you get this?"

He glanced at it and then shrugged. "Buck knows an antique dealer so I went to him. The rock is new but I think the band is from the twenties. I wasn't payin' much attention to the guy when he was talkin' about it. There was other ones if you don't-"

She glared at him. "Don't you dare say trade it for something else!"

"Okay. But you're gonna have to tell me if this means you want to or are we gonna sit here all night like a couple of awkward fucks," he said, needing to know what the hell was in her head.

She looked at him like he'd lost his mind. "Are you insane? Of course I want to!"

He didn't have time to even breath a sigh of relief before her arms were back around him and her mouth was on his. The kiss was deep, slow, and full of promise. All of his doubts washed away then, leaving room for his mind to wonder to the future and what this all really meant. When she pulled away she met his eyes.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" She asked, almost worriedly.

He rolled his eyes. "If you had any clue how much cash I had to drop on that damn ring just to make sure it was impressive enough then you sure as fuck wouldn't ask me that."

She scowled. "You are the least romantic person I've ever met in my life."

He leaned back on his elbows and huffed. "You didn't expect me to drop on one knee and sing you a song and beg for your hand, did you? Cause you know I ain't gonna do any of that."

She looked thoughtful for a few seconds, like she was actually picturing him doing just that and then she laughed, shaking her head. "Okay, you have a point."

He sighed and let his head hit the pillow. "Look, you know I love you. I know you love me back. We got a good thing goin' here so I figured that maybe you would want to, eventually. I wasn't even plannin' on giving it to you yet. I'm doin' my best here, woman."

She smiled. "You're doing great, actually." She climbed off of him and curled into his side, propping her head up with her hand and grinning down at him. "We are gonna rock the hell out of this marriage thing."

He chuckled, raising a brow at her. "You think so, huh?" He felt a lot better now.

She snorted. "I know so. Look how good we are at everything else."

He stared up at the ceiling and laughed. "We fight all time."

She shrugged. "We disagree on occasion. If we're being completely honest, sometimes I like to start fights with you because you're sexy when you're mad."

He glanced over at her. "You're a whole big bag of asses, you know that?"

She nodded and kissed his jaw before her arm wrapped around his middle and she laid her head down next to his.

He turned the lamp back off, rolling over and pulling her further against him. She was actually right. They were pretty damn good at everything else. At first it had been a goddamn roller coaster ride with more ups and downs than he knew what to do with. But things had found a good rhythm for all of them and for the most part, it was smooth. She was right. They didn't even really fight anymore.

"Are you sure it won't eventually bother you that you'll never have a baby of your own?" She asked, sounding genuinely worried.

He had already thought about that. He thought about it long and hard because he wouldn't take a step as big as he had taken without examining every single angle first. It wouldn't be fair to her if he jumped into something and then eventually blamed her for his own quick decisions. So he had thought about that long and hard but in the end, it hadn't mattered. "Already thought about that and it don't matter none," he grumbled sleepily.

She seemed to relax a little. "So you've thought about this for a while?"

He blinked, frowning in the dark. "Yeah. Go to sleep."

"How long?"

He sighed.

"Don't sigh at me," she muttered.

"About a month now, okay? I've thought and I've thought and I've covered every goddamn base. I don't want no screamin' baby, I don't care that you're a fuckin' nag, I don't mind that you put your cold goddamn feet on my legs. I don't mind when you use up all the hot water, or when you throw dumb fits over little things, or when you get bossy or when you get crabby or when you-"

"Jesus, Daryl!" She snapped, cutting him off. "Is there one redeeming quality you'd like to bring up now?"

He grinned. "I thought that was what I was doing. I was getting to the annoying stuff."

She sat up and shoved at his shoulder roughly. "I'm being serious!"

"So was I!"

She muttered something under her breath and tried to scoot away from him but he caught her around the waist and hauled her back against him. She struggled but he wasn't willing to let her win. Her back was to him now and he pressed his lips to her shoulder because for some reason that was one of those spots that caused her to give up a fight. Just like he knew she would she stilled. "You're a jerk," she grumbled.

He thought about everything he knew about her. He thought about what her childhood must have been like. How hard her marriage was. How awful prison must have been. He wondered idly if anyone had ever told her exactly how amazing she really was. He was good at picking at her and cracking jokes sometimes but it just occurred to him that he'd never really told her what he really thought of her. And it was time for him to say it.

"You're strong," he said, his voice quieter now, barely carrying but he hoped she heard him because she really did need to hear these things and he just wasn't the type of man that said what needed to be said very often. Sometimes saying what needed to be said was hard. "You're brave. You stand up for what you believe in and you don't back down and when somethin' knocks you on your ass you just get back up and you fight harder. You're kind, even though all life has ever thrown you was bullshit, you didn't let it make you bitter. You went through hell with your first husband but you didn't let it keep you away from feelin' what you feel for me. You're smart."

His face flamed but he kept going. "You're fuckin' beautiful, and not just to look at either, but everything inside. And you're the best goddamn thing that's ever happened to me and sometimes it scares me to death because sometimes I don't feel like I really deserve it but you're right here anyhow. So, yeah, I've thought about everything, okay? I turned over every rock, looked around every corner. If there was a doubt in my mind that I could live one fuckin' minute without you, I wouldn't have went huntin' for that damn ring. Ain't neither one of us perfect by a long shot but I think we're better people when we're together. I don't think many people get to find somethin' like that in their lifetime and I ain't gonna let go."

He hated talking about shit like this. He hated feelings and all that mess, but he felt good that he finally said everything out loud. And then damn if the woman didn't sniffle noisily. He rolled his eyes but he smiled slightly. If that speech was enough to make her cry then hopefully it was because she knew that he was telling nothing but the truth. And he wasn't even going to make fun of her.

She rolled over, hugging him hard, her head tucked under his chin. Her grip never wavered, even long after she had finally fallen asleep.

He felt good. He felt goddamn good. And things were only going to get better. He wasn't used to the feeling but he felt that way right now and he knew that the feeling was there to stay. The sky was pretty much the limit.

She shifted just a little in her sleep, wedging her cold feet between his legs and the mattress. When he finally fell asleep himself her feet were finally warm and he was still smiling.


End file.
